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

Additionally, Athens 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 Athens, the unemployment rate decreased 2.0 percentage points in August, reaching 4.7 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.5 percent.

The labor force decreased in August by 2,179 and ended the month with 93,085. That number is down 4,782 when compared to August of 2019. 

Athens finished the month with 88,674 employed residents.  That number decreased by 209 over the month amd is down by 5,727 when compared to the same time a year ago. 

Athens ended August with 92,500. jobs. That number increased by 1,000 from July to August but was down by 3,400 when compared to this time last year. 

The number of unemployment claims went down by 50 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 501 percent. 

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed about 2,161 active job postings in metro Athens for August.