Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Middle Georgia region had fewer initial claims for unemployment rate filed in August.
 
The 11-county area also posted an annual increase in labor force and employed residents, preliminary numbers show.
 
“Georgia had another strong month in August,” said Butler. “The state set several records. Our local communities saw fewer unemployment claims filed as well as a drop in unemployment rates.”
 
Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged in August at 3.7 percent. The nation also grew its labor force, increased the number of employed residents and added more 130,000 jobs.
 
Georgia’s unemployment rate also held constant in August, staying at 3.6 percent.  A year ago, Georgia’s unemployment rate sat at 3.8 percent. The state’s all-time low of 3.4 percent was set in December 2000.
 
Rates fell or held steady across 10 of Georgia’s 12 planning regions.
 
In the region, the unemployment rate stayed flat in August, settling at 4 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4.4 percent.
 
The labor force decreased in August by 849. The August total was 218,812. That number is up by 1,594 from the total from August 2018.
 
Middle Georgia ended August with 210,036 employed residents.  The number decreased by 890 in August and went up by 2,290 as compared to last August.
 
The number of unemployment claims decreased in August by about 11 percent. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 6 percent.