The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Savannah’s unemployment rate for February was 5.3 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.2 percent in January.  The rate in February 2015 was 6 percent.

The rate rose as the number of unemployed residents increased by 264, as the labor force grew 2,545.

At the same time, the number of jobs in Savannah increased by 2,200, or 1.3 percent, to 174,700 from 172,500 in January. Most of the increase came in professional and business services, retail trade, leisure and hospitality, state and local government, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.  

Over the year, Savannah gained 7,100 jobs, a 4.2 percent growth rate, up from 167,600 in 
February 2015 Most of the job gains came in professional and business services, trade, transportation and warehousing, leisure and hospitality, education and health services, manufacturing, and state and local government. 

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased by 329, or 32.1 percent, to 697 in February. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing, accommodations and food services, trade, transportation and warehousing, and administrative and support services. Also, over the year, claims were down by 97, or 12.2 percent, from 794 in February 2015.      

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 7.1 percent. 

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for February was 5.4 percent, unchanged from January. It was 6.2 percent in February 2015.