Metro Atlanta's jobless rate drops to 8.5 percent

Thursday, May 24, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Gwinnett Daily Post

ATLANTA (AP) -- State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says metro Atlanta's jobless rate declined to 8.5 percent in April, marking its lowest level since December 2008, when it was 7.7 percent.

Butler announced the new figures Thursday morning.

Officials say the rate decreased as the number of new jobs grew by 14,800 to 2,331,100. They said that's the highest number of jobs in metro Atlanta since November 2011.

Among other Georgia metro areas, the Athens area had the lowest rate at 6.5 percent.

Metro Dalton had the highest at 11.4 percent.

The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

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Gwinnett unemployment at lowest mark since 2008 ( April 26, 2013 )
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Unemployment hits lowest level in nearly 4 years ( December 20, 2012 )
Jobless numbers declining in Gwinnett area ( April 26, 2011 )

teelee 12 months ago

These numbers are still to high thanks to President Obama's failed economic and energy policies.

Yeah Teepee - beats the heck out of that 10.4% unemployment rate, the legitimization of 2 million illegals, and sending billions to the Mujhideen (Bin Laden) to fight the Russians in Afghanistan that Reagan did. Darn Obama had to dig us out of our first unprovoked war that was paid for on credit, causing this mess, but what the heck, you've never been much of a brain trust. Maybe we need to build another airport to fix it.

notblind 12 months ago

Anybody that believes the governments unemployment statistics is deluding themselves.

Cleanupguy 12 months ago

I'd suggest a visit to the BLS website - it's all available, even annotated data on how many have given up. Guess that some would choose to sit on the couch, grip and believe what they wish rather than to look and learn.

Cleanupguy 12 months ago

A couple more tidbits. According to a radical extremist publication called the Wall Street Journal: "federal spending is (currently) rising at the slowest pace since Dwight Eisenhower". Reagan increased the deficit the most by percentage and Dubyah Bush the most in dollars.

notblind 12 months ago

The only solution to our problems is to CUT SPENDING. Bragging about how slowly spending is still rising shows a complete lack of understanding about our fiscal situation.

Cleanupguy 12 months ago

That is indeed half of the solution. The other half is paying for things like the war that we put on the national credit card. Try telling Visa or MasterCard that your plan is to cut your way out of your debt - someday it has to be paid. Pretty simple.

Mack711 12 months ago

Some have run out of unemployment benefits or have given up looking for work.Believe that the rate is much higher than what is being reported due to the ones who have given up looking for work. As long as we let Companies like GM, Ge and others move manufactoring jobs out of the country and we do not educate highly skilled jobs such as machinist, welders electricians and other skilled trades the next generation will see 15% plus unemployment. Not everyone can work in with an MBA or Computer Science degree.

JV 12 months ago

Other reports are saying the decline is from fewer layoffs as opposed to to more jobs created. Also, HP is announcing 27k layoffs with the employees of its Georgia properties in Alpharetta and Suwanee bracing for what will happen to them.

Foward!

Sandykin 12 months ago

Was it yesterday or the day before that GDP ran an article about how 10% of Georgians are working minimum wage jobs as opposed to the rest of the nation where 5% of the people are? Yeah unemployment numbers may be going down, but are they going down because people are finding jobs that pay living wages or minimum wages? If people are getting so hungry they are taking minimum wage jobs to support a family - pay rent, put food on the table, etc, is that really improvement?

JV 12 months ago

Good catch Sandykin, It was an AP story published by the GDP Monday May 21, 2012 .

Foward ho!

CD 12 months ago

Soon to be Headline: World Unemployment at -.002 % Now that Beaudreau-Kenerly-Bannister Airport is Built. Greek debt worries have ended because of all the baklava sales--Gwenetians just can't seem to get enough of the sweet confection brought in by 737 cargo liners (which are silent and run on water). Gwinnett Chamber and BOC take a bow. Utopia.

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