The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the two-county Hinesville Metropolitan Statistical Area recorded an unemployment rate of 3.9% in May, up four-tenths over the month. A year ago, the rate was 4.1%.

“Georgia's strength isn't measured in single months — it's proven over time," said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. "Even with slight unemployment increases throughout Georgia's regions in May, most of our metropolitan areas are showing lower unemployment than a year ago. That resilience reflects our modern, adaptive workforce, which is what keeps Georgia the No. 1 state for business in today's competitive, global marketplace.”

The labor force in Hinesville decreased by 159 and ended the month at 30,911. That number decreased by 399 compared to May 2024.

Hinesville finished the month with 29,717 employed residents. That number decreased by 278 from the previous month and declined by 319 from the same time a year ago.

Hinesville ended May with 21,900 jobs. That number was down by 100 from the previous month and down by 200 from the same time last year.

In May, initial unemployment claims decreased by 29 from the previous month and declined by 1 from the same month a year ago, totaling 113.