The state Labor Department says Gainesville’s unemployment rate is again the lowest in the state, checking in at an even 3 percent in March, with a twenty percent drop in claims for jobless benefits. Gainesville’s unemployment rate was 3.2 percent in February.
Overall, March was a very good month,” says Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Georgia’s economy, just like the nation’s, is running strong. Our communities are consistently adding jobs and unemployment rates are falling. The numbers continue to improve.”
Gainesville ended March with 94,900 jobs. That’s an increase of about 3,500 from the job total as of a year ago and it’s up 300 from last month’s total.
The unemployment rate fell in March, dropping by 0.2 percentage points to settle at 3 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.2 percent.
Gainesville also posted gains for jobs in:
- Private services.
Nationally, the rate for March remained unchanged at 3.8 percent.
The labor force decreased in March by 155 to reach 103,407. That number is up by 1,505 from the total of March 2018.
Gainesville ended March with 100,301 employed residents. The number climbed by 56 in March and was up by 1,699 over March 2018’s total.
The numbers of unemployment claims fell in March by 20 percent and were up by 32 percent from the same period last year.
Claims were down in:
- Administrative/support services
- Construction.