Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Gainesville set in May another record for total jobs.

Gainesville, preliminary numbers showed, posted monthly gains in jobs, labor force and employed residents. Meanwhile, the number of monthly unemployment claims increased for the one-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).  

“May was a good month for Georgia,” Butler said. “Many of our local communities added more individuals to their workforce – which is what we needed to see happen. And, several added jobs and even and set records. That’s a great combination.”

Gainesville ended May with 96,300 jobs. The MSA added 700 new jobs over the month and 4,700 jobs when compared to this time last year.

Gainesville also posted gains for jobs in private services.

The unemployment rate rose in May, increasing by 0.3 percentage points to settle at 2.8 percent. A year ago, the rate was 2.9 percent.

Nationally, the rate for May held steady at 3.6 percent.

The labor force increased in May by 869 to reach 103,712. That number is up by 2,294 from the total of May 2018.

Gainesville ended May with 100,839 employed residents.  The number climbed by 610 in May and was up by 2,366 over May 2018’s total.

The number of unemployment claims rose in May by 27 percent and were down by 4 percent from the same period last year.    

Claims were up in finance/insurance.

The one-county MSA includes Hall County.