The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Middle Georgia region in December was 5.9 percent, unchanged from 5.9 percent in November. The rate in December 2014 was 6.8 percent.

At 5.9 percent, Middle Georgia’s rate is at its lowest point since May 2008 when it was 5.6 percent. 

While the rate was unchanged, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 10, or 0.5 percent, to 1,875 in December. Most of the increase came in construction and retail trade. However, over the year, claims were down by 511, or 21.4 percent, from 2,386 in December 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.6 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.5 percent, down from 5.6 percent in November. It was 6.6 percent in December 2014.