Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Middle Georgia region posted across-the-board positive numbers for the month of May.
 
The area saw a drop in the unemployment rate and increases in labor force and the number of employed residents.
 
“Georgia’s economy remains very strong,” said Butler. “Across the board, the state’s numbers are very positive for the year and many areas continue to set records.”
 
The number of employed residents in the region grew to 214,214. This represents an increase of 949 for the month and an increase of 5,406 for the year.
 
In May, the unemployment rate in the Middle Georgia region fell 0.2 percent to 3.8 percent, down from 5 percent a year ago. The rates vary from a low of 2.9 percent in the Georgia Mountains to 4.5 percent in the River Valley region.
 
The Middle Georgia labor force ended May at 222,746. That number is up 643 over the last month and up 2,987 over the last year.
 
In the Middle Georgia region, initial claims for unemployment were down by about 44 percent for the month and down about 8 percent overall for the year.
 
The Middle Georgia region includes Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones. Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, and Wilkinson counties.