The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Columbus’ unemployment rate for October was 6.5 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 6.7 percent in September. The rate in October 2014 was 7.5 percent.

The rate declined as employers created more jobs. The number of jobs in Columbus increased by 2,200, or 1.8 percent, in October to 126,100. The job gains came mostly in professional and business services, trade, transportation and warehousing, local government, education and health services, leisure and hospitality, finance and insurance, along with manufacturing.     

Over the year, Columbus gained 2,700 jobs, a growth rate of 2.2 percent, from 1,234 in October 2014. Most of the job growth came in professional and business services, trade, transportation and warehousing, local government, leisure and hospitality, education and health services, finance and insurance,  

Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 41, or 5.9 percent, to 732 in October. Most of the increase came in construction and administrative and support services.  Over the year, claims were down by 188, or 20.4 percent, from 920 in October 2014.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for October was 5.7 percent, down from 5.8 percent in September. It was 6.8 percent in October 2014.