Newton County’s unemployment rate dropped from July to August as initial jobless claims decreased more than 25%.
The county’s unemployment rate was 3.5% in August, down three-tenths of a percent from 3.8% in July, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.
A year ago in August 2020, the rate was 7.9%.
Newton County’s rate was above the August rate of 3.1% for both Georgia and the 29-county Metro Atlanta region.
The county ended August with 50,856 employed residents. The number decreased by 336 in August but was up 4,337 as compared to last year.
The county’s labor force — the total number of residents either employed or actively seeking employment — decreased in August by 499 to 52,716. That number is up 2,226 from August 2020.
Commissioner Mark Butler of the Georgia Department of Labor said, “Although we are seeing fewer unemployed individuals now than before the pandemic started, we are also still seeing a decreased total number of people in the workforce when compared to numbers recorded prior to the pandemic.
“This will continue to cause a hiring crunch until we can attract more people back to the workforce to fill the record number of job openings,” Butler said.
Initial claims for unemployment decreased 27% in August. When compared to August 2020, claims were down about 80%.
Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 542 active job postings in Newton County for August, the department reported.
The Metro Atlanta region ended August with almost 2.8 million jobs. Jobs were up 2,300 (0.1%) over the month and up 124,300 (4.7%) over the year.
Since April 2020, 306,700 (80%) of the 381,500 jobs lost in March and April have been gained back.
The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains in Metro Atlanta included Local Government, 4,500, Administrative and Support Services, 2,600, Education Services, 2,300, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 1,900, and Health Care and Social Assistance, 1,800.
Jobs were down in Accommodation and Food Services, -4,800, Retail Trade, -1,700, Religious, Grants, Civic and Professional Services, -1,500, Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, -1,200, and Specialty Trade Contractors, -1,000.
There were all-time high job numbers in Financial Activities, 184,300, Professional and Business Services, 560,900, the Professional, Scientific & Technical sector, 236,800, and the Administrative and Support Services sector, 248,600 jobs.
Since April 2020, Financial Activities (176%) and Professional and Business Services (115%) gained back all jobs lost in March and April.
Other industries that have gained back the highest percentage of jobs include Education and Health Services, 88%, Information, 85%, and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, 84%, the department reported.
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