The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the two-county Dalton Metropolitan Statistical Area recorded an unemployment rate of 5.6 percent in July, up two percentage points from the previous month. A year ago, the rate was 4.4 percent.
“Our greatest strength is our people and the businesses that call Georgia home," said Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. "July’s unemployment numbers show progress across most metro areas, and even where there are slight upticks, year-over-year trends reflect our resilience.
By investing in our workforce and supporting a strong environment for business, Georgia will continue to win and drive economic growth for all Georgians.”
The labor force in Dalton was up by 1,472 and ended the month at 68,521. That number increased by 819 compared to the same time last year.
Dalton finished the month with 64,676 employed residents, an increase of 31 from the previous month and a decline of 46 from the same time a year ago.
Dalton ended July with 69,300 jobs. That number decreased by 200 from the previous month and rose by 900 from the same time last year.
In July, initial unemployment claims increased by 1,861 over the month and by 1,151 compared to the same month a year ago, totaling 2,181.