The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the one-county Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area recorded an unemployment rate of 3.1% in June, up three-tenths over the month. A year ago, the rate was 3.4%.

“June's unemployment trends tell a familiar story — Georgia's students are stepping into our workforce as schools let out for summer, creating the temporary unemployment and hiring fluctuations typical for this time of year,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “With Georgia's recent historic announcement of 5 million jobs, these students are stepping into a local workforce that belongs to them, in a state that's proven over and over that when Georgians show up, opportunity follows.”

The labor force in Gainesville increased by 377 over the month and down 489 over the year, to 109,137.

Gainesville finished the month with 105,780 employed residents. That number increased by 11 from the previous month and decreased by 166 from the same time a year ago.

Gainesville ended June with 108,800 jobs. That number was unchanged from the previous month and rose by 900 from the same time last year.

In June, initial unemployment claims increased by 75 from the previous month and rose by 38 from the same month a year ago, totaling 374.