The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Savannah’s unemployment rate for July was 5 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 5.3 percent in June. The rate in July 2015 was 6 percent.

The rate fell as the number of employed residents grew by 2,145 to 176,538. At the same time, the number of unemployed residents fell by 501 to 9,317. The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, grew by 1,644 to 185,855 in July.

The number of jobs decreased by 300, or 0.2 percent, to 179,500. Most of the job losses came in leisure and hospitality.

However, over the year, Savannah gained 8,000 jobs, a 4.7 percent growth rate, up from 171,500 in July 2015. Most of the job gains came in professional and business services, government, leisure and hospitality, trade, transportation and warehousing, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 178, or 17.5 percent, to 841 in July. Most of the decrease came in transportation and warehousing, health care and social assistance, and accommodations and food services. And, over the year, claims were down by 91, or 9.8 percent, from 932 in July 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 5 percent, down from 5.1 percent in June. It was 5.7 percent in July 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In July, 2,411 new job openings in Savannah were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 69,064 new job openings were posted.