The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Columbus’ unemployment rate for July was 6.4 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 6.6 percent in June. The rate in July 2015 was 7.4 percent.

The rate fell as the number of employed residents grew by 805 to 117,880. At the same time, the number of unemployed residents fell by 137 to 8,111. The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, grew by 668 to 125,991 in July.

The number of jobs decreased by 500, or 0.4 percent, to 121,800. Most of the job losses came in state and local government, including the public schools which were on summer break.  

However, over the year, Columbus gained 1,200 jobs, a 1 percent growth rate, up from 120,600 in July 2015. Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation and warehousing, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and education and health services. State government also added 200 jobs.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 309, or 50.2 percent, to 925 in July. Most of the increase came in manufacturing. And, over the year, claims were up by 159, or 20.8 percent, from 766 in July 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 5 percent, down from 5.1 percent in June. It was 5.7 percent in July 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In July, 2,338 new job openings in Columbus were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 69,064 new job openings were posted.