The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the five-county Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area recorded an unemployment rate of 4% in May, up four-tenths over the month. A year ago, the rate was 4.2%.

“Georgia's strength isn't measured in single months — it's proven over time," said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. "Even with slight unemployment increases throughout Georgia's regions in May, most of our metropolitan areas are showing lower unemployment than a year ago. That resilience reflects our modern, adaptive workforce, which is what keeps Georgia the No. 1 state for business in today's competitive, global marketplace.”

The labor force in Macon decreased by 270 over the month and declined by 585 over the year, totaling 96,207.

Macon finished the month with 92,373 employed residents, down 610 from the previous month and declined by 327 from the same time last year.

Macon ended May with 100,000 jobs, unchanged from the previous month and up 200 from the same time last year.

In May, initial unemployment claims in Macon decreased by 6 from the previous month and were down by 58 from the same month last year, totaling 420.