The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Warner Robins’ unemployment rate for September was 7.1 percent, down six-tenths of a percentage point from 7.7 percent in August. The rate in September of last year was 6.9 percent. 

The rate dropped because there were 416 fewer unemployed people in the area in September, according to the federal government’s monthly household survey.  

While the rate decreased, Metro Warner Robins lost 200 jobs in September, as the total number of jobs dropped to 58,300 from 58,500 in August. The loss came mostly in trade, transportation and warehousing and local government.   

There was an over-the-year loss of 300 jobs, or 0.5 percent, from 58,600 in September 2013. The job losses came mostly with the federal government and in trade, transportation and warehousing.  

Also, there were 394 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in September, an increase of 76, or 23.9 percent, from 318 in August. Most of the increase in claims came in manufacturing, information services, and health care and social assistance. Over the year, claims were up 7.1 percent from the 368 filed in September 2013.    

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.5 percent. 

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for September was 7.9 percent, down from 8.1 percent in August. It was 8.0 percent in September 2013.