State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said that the number of employed residents in the Middle Georgia region rose in November as the labor force and the number of unemployment insurance claims declined.

In November the number of residents with jobs rose by 392 to 209,510. From November a year ago, the number of employed residents was up by 3,287.

“This is a strong jobs report,” Butler said. “For the year, all the significant economic indicators are trending in the right direction. This is further proof of our growing, dynamic economy.”

The area’s labor force, which includes the total number of residents with jobs and those unemployed but looking for work, fell to 220,077, down by 339 in November. The labor force is up by 1,829 since November 2016.  

Unemployment claims were down by 60 percent to 1,001. Claims were down in manufacturing. When compared to last November, claims were down by 27 percent from 1,374.

The November unemployment rate, at 4.8 percent, was down from 5.1 percent in October. The November rate compares favorably to last November when the rate was 5.5 percent.