The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Athens’ unemployment rate for September was 5.7 percent, down seven-tenths of a percentage point from 6.4 percent in August. The rate in September of last year was also 5.7 percent. 

The rate dropped because there were 580 fewer unemployed people in the Athens area in September, according to the federal government’s monthly household survey.  

As the rate decreased, Metro Athens added 1,500 jobs in September, as the total number of jobs increased to 91,200, or 1.7 percent, from 89,700 in August. The gains came in state government and other service-related industries.   

And, there was an over-the-year gain of 300 jobs, or 0.3 percent, from 90,900 in September 2013. The job gains were mostly in trade, transportation and warehousing.   

Also, there were 418 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in September, an increase of 84, or 25.1 percent, from 334 in August. Most of the increase in claims came in administrative services, wholesale trade, and administrative services. Over the year, claims were down 3.5 percent from the 433 filed in September 2013.    

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.5 percent. 

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for September was 7.9 percent, down from 8.1 percent in August. It was 8.0 percent in September 2013.