The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Columbus’ unemployment rate for December was 6.4 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 6.3 percent in November. The rate in December 2014 was 7 percent.  

The rate rose as the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 962, or 91.4 percent, to 2,014 in December. Most of the increase came in accommodations and food services and manufacturing. However, over the year, claims were down by 346, or 14.7 percent, from 2,360 in December 2014.     

While the rate rose, employers created 200 more jobs. The number of jobs increased to 126,400, or 0.2 percent, from 126,200 in November. Most of the increase came in professional and business services. 

Over the year, Columbus gained 2,800 jobs, for a growth rate of 2.3 percent, up from 123,600 in December 2014. Most of the job gains came in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and local government. 

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.6 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.5 percent, down from 5.6 percent in November. It was 6.6 percent in December 2014.