Augusta’s unemployment rate rises to 7.0 percent

ATLANTA, GA (PR) - The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate increased to 7.0 percent in May, up seven-tenths of a percentage point from 6.3 percent in April. The rate was 8.0 percent in May a year ago.


The rate increased as 1,300 jobs were lost in the leisure and hospitality sector, due largely to seasonal layoffs after the Masters Golf Tournament. The loss of jobs was partially offset by the gain of 800 new jobs in the professional and business services sector. Overall, the number of jobs decreased by 700, or 0.3 percent, to 220,900 in May from 221,600 in April.

However, over the year, the number of jobs increased by 1,300, or 0.6 percent, from 219,600 in May 2013. Most of the increase came in leisure and hospitality and professional and business services. Government lost 1,200 jobs.

Also, there were 1,409 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in May, a decrease of 125, or 8.1 percent, from 1,534 in April. Most of the decrease in claims came in manufacturing. There were 2,019 claims filed in May 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for May was 7.2 percent, up from 6.9 percent in April. The rate was 8.4 percent in May a year ago.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted.

AUGUSTA AMONG TOP CITIES ON THE RISE IN GEORGIA

AUGUSTA, GA (PR) - NerdWallet, a consumer advocacy website, recently conducted a study to find the fastest-growing cities in Georgia – and Augusta ranked #10.

To find the fastest-growing cities in Georgia, NerdWallet evaluated 37 cities, towns and census designated places and examined the following variables:

 Population growth
 Employment growth
 Income growth

Augusta, a city rich with history, saw the median income for full-time workers increase 10.1% to $35,624 from 2009 to 2012. The city and county government cooperate to govern the area, which offers diverse employment options including military positions at Fort Gordon, and faculty and support jobs at Georgia Regents University, located in town, along with medicine and manufacturing roles.

The city’s working age population grew 2.7% from 2009 to 2012 as well.

Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver remarked, “With growth continuing in the City of Augusta it’s very exciting to have the rest of the nation recognizing what’s happening with our local economy.

I’ve long said that with Fort Gordon’s continued growth, the consolidation of Georgia Regents University, local passage of the Transportation Investment Act, the growth in our technology sector and the continued expansion our Plant Vogtle our city is primed to grow at a rate the like of which we’ve never experienced.

I would personally like to thank NerdWallet for their data based approach to this ranking and I’m very hopeful Augusta will continue to move up the list as we truly are a city on the rise.”