The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Athens’ unemployment rate in August was 5 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 5.2 percent in July. The rate in August 2015 was 5.6 percent.

The rate fell as employers added more jobs and laid off fewer workers. 

The number of jobs increased by 1,000, or 1.1 percent, to 94,600. Most of the job gains came in the service industries such as retail trade, leisure and hospitality, along with local government as the public schools reopened for the new school year.

Over the year, Athens gained 3,300 jobs, a 3.6 percent growth rate, up from 91,300 in August 2015. Most of the job gains came in services such as trade, transportation and warehousing, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services, along with state government.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 34, or 7.5 percent, to 420 in August. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing and accommodations and food services. Over the year, claims were up by 55, or 15.1 percent, from 365 in August 2015.

The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, declined by 109 to 96,994 in August. The number of employed residents increased by 78 to 92,133, while the number of unemployed residents fell by 187 to 4,861.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.4 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 6.6 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for August was 4.9 percent, down from 5 percent in July. It was 5.6 percent in August 2015.