Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Gainesville’s unemployment rate decreased in August.

Additionally, Gainesville saw a monthly increase in jobs and a monthly decrease in initial claims in August.

“It is very promising that we continue to see the unemployment rate drop month after month, while the job market gets stronger, evoking positive news for Georgia’s economy,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “The state as a whole is leading the nation in competitive unemployment rates, coming in at 7^th lowest.” 

In Gainesville, the unemployment rate decreased 1.7 percentage points in August, reaching 3.9 percent. A year ago, the rate was 2.9 percent.

The labor force decreased in August by 2,226 and ended the month with 96,428. That number is down 5,509 when compared to August of 2019.

Gainesville finished the month with 92,706 employed residents.  That number decreased by 411 over the month and is down by 6,225 when compared to the same time a year ago.

Gainesville ended August with 90,300. jobs. That number increased by 800 from July to August but was down by 3,500 when compared to this time last year.

The number of unemployment claims went down by 48 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 1,509 percent.