Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said Thursday that Athens recorded an unemployment rate of 4.0 percent in July, down two-tenths of a percent over the month. A year ago, the rate was 3.1 percent.

“With over 5 million Georgians ready to work, our mission is clear: to turn this untapped potential into real, meaningful job opportunities,” said Commissioner Bruce Thompson. “To build a stronger, more resilient Georgia for tomorrow, we must partner with businesses today to create jobs, leverage the power of our skilled workforce, and keep unemployment low.”

The labor force decreased in Athens by 887 and ended the month with 103,347. That number went up by 4,514 when compared to July of 2023.

Athens finished the month with 99,163 employed residents. That number decreased by 682 over-the-month and rose by 3,400 when compared to the same time a year ago.

Athens ended July with 103,100 jobs. That number decreased by 1,000 from June to July and rose by 4,800 when compared to this time last year.

In July, initial unemployment claims decreased by 97 in Athens. When you compare July 2024 claims to July 2023, claims were down by 21, totaling 276.