Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Savannah lowered its number of initial unemployment claims in August.
 
According to preliminary data, Savannah also added to its annual job report, labor force and employed residents across the three-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
 
“It’s good to see so many of our communities doing well,” Butler said. “We continue to add jobs at a record rate and see claims for unemployment fall. Overall, August was a strong month across the state.”
 
Savannah’s unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points in August, reaching 3.6 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.8 percent.
 
Savannah ended August with 186,400 jobs. Jobs stayed flat over the month but increased by 2,100 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The labor force decreased in August by 2,015. The total is 187,929. That number is up by 509 when compared to the same time last year.
 
Savannah ended August with 181,212 employed residents.  That number dropped by 2,241 over the month but is up by 841 when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The number of unemployment claims decreased in August by about 8 percent. When compared to last August, claims were down by about 4 percent.