Georgia unemployment drops to 3-year low

Georgia began the new year with the lowest jobless rate in nearly three years.

Unemployment in January fell to 9.2 percent in the Peach State, the Georgia Department of Labor reported today.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the seasonally adjusted rate went down because about 13,000 more Georgians were employed in January than in December. Newly revised numbers also show that Georgia gained 83,700 jobs in the past year -- the biggest such yearly gain since 2006.

“This job growth shows that Georgia is headed in the right direction,” Butler said. “The business services sector, which includes temporary employment agencies, showed the most growth. Economists consider this to be a leading indicator that businesses are gaining confidence in the economy and are beginning to grow their businesses.”

January’s jobless rate in Georgia remained above the U.S. rate of 8.3 percent. But Georgia’s unemployment rate was the lowest since March of 2009 when it was 9.1 percent.

The jobless rate was 10.1 percent in January a year ago.