The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Middle Georgia region for March was 6.7 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 6.9 percent in February. The rate in March 2014 was 7.8 percent.

The rate declined as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 507 to 14,145 from 14,652 in February, partially because employers laid off fewer workers.   

There were 141, or 9.0 percent, fewer new claims for unemployment insurance filed in March, as the number declined to 1,421 from 1,562 in February. Most of the decrease in claims came in construction, manufacturing, and retail trade.  Over the year, claims were up by 17, or 1.2 percent, from 1,404 filed in March 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.8 percent. 

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for March was 6.3 percent, unchanged from February. It was 7.3 percent in March 2014.  

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.gdol.ga.gov Connect with us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter @GeorgiaDOL, which can be easily accessed via our website at www.gdol.ga.gov.