The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate in June was 5.5 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 5.2 percent in May. In June 2016, the rate was 6.3 percent.
The rate rose as the labor force grew, partially because high school and college students entered the job market, which led to an increase in the number of unemployed residents. From May to June, the labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed and actively looking for jobs, increased by 364 to 63,189.
The number of unemployed increased by 209 to 3,451. There were 461 fewer unemployed than in June 2016.
Although the rate rose, there were still 155 more Metro Dalton residents employed in June than in May, pushing the total number to 59,738. The increase in the number of employed residents in June grew by 1,328 from June 2016.
The number of jobs in Metro Dalton increased by 300, or 0.4 percent, to 70,700. The job growth came in textile manufacturing, along with trade, transportation and warehousing, and professional and business services.
Over-the-year, a total of 1,000 jobs were added, a 1.4 percent growth rate, up from 69,700 in June 2016. The job growth came in manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, along with professional and business services.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, decreased by 133, or 19.3 percent, to 555. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 383, or 40.8 percent, from 938 in June 2016.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.3 percent, while the River Valley region had the highest at 6.4 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for June was 4.8 percent, down from 4.9 percent in May. It was 5.3 percent in June 2016.
Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In June, 524 new job openings in Dalton were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 71,261 new job openings were posted.