Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Savannah’s unemployment rate fell in March. 

According to preliminary data, Savannah also saw unemployment claims fall across the three-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

“Overall, March was a very good month,” Butler said. “Georgia’s economy, just like the nation’s, is running strong. Our communities are consistently adding   jobs and unemployment rates are falling. The numbers continue to improve.”

The unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points in March, reaching 3.5 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.7 percent.

Savannah ended March with 184,500 jobs. That’s a decrease of 200 jobs over the month and a decrease of 100 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.

The labor force decreased in March by 933. The total was 187,795. That number is down by 3,853 from the total from March 2018.

Savannah ended March with 181,219 employed residents.  That number fell by 529 over the month and was down by 3,406 when compared to the same time a year ago.

The number of unemployment claims decreased in March by 16 percent. When compared to last March, claims were down by about 17 percent.