The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that Metro Valdosta’s unemployment rate in May was 4.4 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 4.3 percent in April. In May 2016, the rate was 4.9 percent.

The rate rose as the labor force grew, the number of jobs declined, and there was an increase in layoffs as measured by initial claims for unemployment insurance.

The labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed and actively looking for jobs, increased by 238 to 64,832. As the number of employed residents rose by 161 to 61,952, the number of unemployed also increased by 77 to 2,880.

Compared to May a year ago, the labor force had a net increase of 884. The number of employed grew by 1,111, and there were 227 fewer unemployed.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 150, or 69.8 percent, to 365. Most of the increase came in manufacturing, health care and social assistance and retail trade. Over the year, claims were up by 17, or 4.9 percent, from 348 in May 2016.

The number of jobs in Metro Valdosta decreased by 100, or 0.2 percent, to 56,900. The job loss came in the service industries, which includes trade, transportation and warehousing.

However, over-the-year, a total of 700 jobs were added, a 1.3 percent growth rate, up from 56,200 in May 2016. Job growth came in trade, transportation and warehousing, along with the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 3.9 percent, while the River Valley region had the highest at 6 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for May was 4.9 percent, down from 5 percent in April. It was 5.3 percent in May 2016.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use GDOL’s online job listing service employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In May, 498 new job openings in Valdosta were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 70,120 new job openings were posted.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at dol.georgia.gov