Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Athens added more jobs in March.
 
According to preliminary data Athens also lowered its unemployment rate and added to the number of employed residents across the four-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
 
“Overall, March was a very good month,” Butler said. “Georgia’s economy, just like the nation’s, is running strong. Our communities are consistently adding   jobs and unemployment rates are falling. The numbers continue to improve.”
 
The unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points in March, reaching 3.5 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.7 percent.
 
Athens ended March with 98,400 jobs. That number grew by 200 over the month and increased by 500 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The labor force decreased in March by 193. Athens ended the month with 101,101. That number shrunk by 946 when compared to March of 2018.
 
Athens ended March with 97,524 employed residents.  That number grew by 41 over the month but decreased by 697 when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The number of unemployment claims went up by 13 percent in March. When compared to last March, claims were down by about 4 percent.