Region shows around a half-point gain in June’s unemployment rate

Floyd, Bartow and the rest of Northwest Georgia showed a slight uptick in unemployment in June — likely attributed to students out for the summer — but continued to see job trends moving in the right direction.

May’s unemployment rates were in the mid-2% range while in June, they’re up above 3%. First-time jobless claims, released earlier this month, also showed increases vs. May — but much improved from June 2021.

“While the seasonally adjusted state unemployment rate went down in June, it is important to note that local area rates are not seasonally adjusted to take account for fluctuations due to seasonal events that include weather, harvests, major holidays and school schedules,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “The increase in local rates is typical for summer and Georgia is still leading the southern region and third in the nation in percentage increases in employment.”

Georgia had a seasonally adjusted percent change in employment of 5.4% from June 2021 to June 2022. Georgia ranked third, out of eight, in the South and 18th nationally for lowest unemployment rate, with a preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.9% for June 2022 and had the second lowest unemployment rate among the top 10 most populated states (Florida, 2.8%).

While the seasonally adjusted state unemployment rate went down in June, it is important to note that local area rates are not seasonally adjusted to take account for fluctuations due to seasonal events that include weather, harvests, major holidays and school schedules.”

FLOYD COUNT Y

♦ Rome recorded an unemployment rate of 3.4% in June, up six-tenths of a percent over the month. A year ago, the rate was 4.3%.

♦ The labor force increased in Rome by 121 and ended the month with 43,895. That number is up 239 when compared to June of 2021.

♦ Rome finished the month with 42,392 employed residents. That number decreased by 171 over the month and is up by 595 when compared to the same time a year ago.

♦ Rome ended June with 42,100 jobs. That number went up 200 from May to June and rose 1,400 when compared to this time last year.

♦ The number of unemployment claims went up by 120% in Rome in June. When compared to last June, claims were down by about 54%.

♦ Employ Georgia showed about 874 active job postings in Rome for June.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler

BARTOW COUNTY

♦ Bartow County recorded an unemployment rate of 3% in June, up five-tenths of a percent over the month. A year ago, the rate was 4%.

♦ The labor force increased in June by 259 to 52,834. That number is up 1,669 over the year.

♦ Bartow County ended June with 51,262 employed residents. The number of employed remained the same over the month and rose 2,139 over-the-year.

♦ Initial claims for unemployment went up by 79% in June. When compared to last June, claims were down about 68%.

♦ Employ Georgia showed 671 active job postings in Bartow County for June.

NORTHWEST GEORGIA

♦ The June preliminary unemployment rate was up fivetenths to 3.1% from May; the rate was 3.8% one year ago.

♦ The labor force was up 1,444 from May and up 7,161 from June 2021 to 431,375.

♦ The number of employed was down 448 since May but up 10,183 from June 2021, to 418,178.

♦ Initial claims were up 1,271 (75%) month over month and down 2,306 (-44%) from the same month last year to 2,973.

♦ Initial claims were up from May in Manufacturing and Construction, and down from a year earlier in Administrative and Support Services and Accommodation and Food Services.

♦ There were 5,263 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Northwest Georgia includes Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties.