Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said Thursday that Savannah recorded an unemployment rate of 3.1 percent in May, up six-tenths of a percent over the month. A year ago, the rate was 2.7 percent.

"Despite an uptick in the unemployment rate, Georgia's economy and job market remains red hot while the number of claims remains relatively low - especially compared to the national numbers," said Commissioner Bruce Thompson. "While one month does not signal a trend, my administration will continue to keep a close eye on the labor market to identify any new developments."

The labor force increased in Savannah by 765 and ended the month with 199,713, an all-time high. That number increased by 1,598 when compared to May of 2022.

Savannah finished the month with 193,460 employed residents. That number decreased by 567 over the month and increased by 785 when compared to the same time a year ago.

Savannah ended May with 203,000 jobs, an all-time high. That number increased by 1,200 from April to May and increased by 3,600 when compared to this time last year.

In May, initial unemployment claims decreased by 6 percent in Savannah. When you compare May 2023 claims to May 2022, claims were up by about 26 percent.