Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Hinesville posted a strong July with gains in jobs, labor force and employed residents.
 
According to preliminary data, Hinesville also saw its unemployment rate fall across the two-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
 
“July was another solid month for Georgia,” Butler said. “The state numbers were strong and many of our local communities added to their labor force, which was badly needed. Many areas of the state also increased the number of employed residents. Georgia continues to head in the right direction.”
 
Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged in July at 3.7 percent. Georgia’s rate dropped 0.1 percentage points to settle at 3.6 percent.  A year ago, Georgia’s unemployment rate sat at 3.8 percent.
 
Rates fell across 12 of Georgia’s 14 MSAs.
 
In Hinesville, the unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points in July, reaching 4.2 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4.5 percent.
 
Hinesville ended July with 20,700 jobs. That’s a increase of 100 jobs for the month and an increase of 400 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The labor force increased in July by 247. The total was 33,849. That number is up by 201 from the total from July 2018.
 
Hinesville ended July with 32,412 employed residents.  That number increased by 306 over the month and was up by 267 when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The number of unemployment claims increased in July by nearly 70 percent. When compared to last July, claims were up by nearly 60 percent.