The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Middle Georgia region in August was 6.6 percent, down six-tenths of a percentage point from 7.2 percent in July. The rate in August 2014 was 8.4 percent.

The rate declined as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 1,270 to 13,832. Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased by 343, or 22.9 percent, to 1,153 in August. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, administrative and support services, educational services, health care and social assistance, professional and technical services, and accommodations and food services. Over the year, claims were down by 169, or 12.8 percent, from 1,322 in August 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.8 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.7 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for August was 5.9 percent, down from 6.0 percent in July. It was 7.1 percent in August 2014.