South Georgia jobless rate hits record low

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, January 5, 2019

VALDOSTA — South Georgia tied a record for lowest jobless rate ever in November, according to state labor authorities this month.

The 18-county region clocked in with a 3.5 percent jobless rate in November, down from 3.9 percent in October, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.

The drop in the jobless rate was driven by more jobs being available while fewer people were unemployed, said Dr. Cindy Tori, professor of economics at Valdosta State University.

“We have a much more healthy situation today than in the great recession (2009-2011),” she said.

In those days, employment figures were impacted because many people simply gave up looking for jobs, Tori said.

The labor force rose in November by 782 to a total of 182,020, according to the labor department. The number has climbed by 3,045 during the past 12 months, or an average gain of more than 250 per month.

The Southern Georgia region gained 1,475 employed residents in November, pushing its total to 175,730. That number has grown by 4,675 during the past year, or an average monthly gain of about 250, the labor department said.

Initial claims for unemployment fell by about 30 percent for the month. They are down by about 9 percent when compared to last November.

Agricultural employment is left out of regular jobless rate calculations, Tori said. Agricultural industries have faced difficulties because of the damage caused by Hurricane Michael in October, including the loss of pecan trees which can take years to grow, she said.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.