The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Middle Georgia region in January was 6 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 5.7 percent in December. The rate in January 2015 was 7.1 percent.

The rate rose as the number of employed workers fell by 1,069 to 199,620. 

Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 728, or 38.8 percent, to 2,603 in January. Most of the increase came in manufacturing, retail trade, administrative and support services, accommodations and food services, and health care and social assistance. . Also, over the year, claims were up by 396, or 17.9 percent, from 2,207 in January 2015.      

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.5 percent, while Metro Dalton had the highest at 7.2 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January was 5.4 percent, down from 5.5 percent in December. It was 6.3 percent in January 2015.