The unemployment rate in the Gainesville area dropped from August to September according to the latest numbers released Thursday by the Georgia Department of Labor.
State Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson's office announced that the rate in the area was 2.5 percent in September, down eight-tenths of a percent from August. The number was still two-tenths of a percentage point higher than September of 2023.
The labor force in the area increased by 368, ending September at 114,825. The number of employed residents in the area ended at 111,999 which was up 1,350 from the previous month.
"This fall, unemployment rates are dropping all across Georgia," Thompson said. "While some metro areas throughout the state have seen a slight dip in jobs, the overall increase in employment shows that more residents are finding work and contributing to our local economies."
The total number of first-time claims for unemployment insurance in the Gainesville area in September was 312.
