Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the unemployment rate decreased in Savannah for the month of July.
 
According to preliminary data, Savannah also added to its annual job report, across the three-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.
 
Savannah’s unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage points in July, reaching 3.4 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.8 percent.
 
Savannah ended July with 185,600 jobs. That’s a decrease of 1,900 jobs over the month but an increase of 1,600 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The labor force decreased in July by 1,059. The total is 189,137. That number is down by 1,730 when compared to the same time last year.
 
Savannah ended July with 182,652 employed residents.  That number dropped by 695 over the month and is down by 939 when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The number of unemployment claims increased in July by about 40 percent. When compared to last July, claims were up by about 2 percent.