Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Valdosta added jobs and drove down its unemployment rate in August.

At the same time, the four-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA) saw its unemployment claims shrink.  

All indicators still remain positive for the year.

"Our communities across the state continue to thrive,” Butler said. “Local economies continue to add jobs and see other indicators like employment and labor force grow over time.  It has become almost routine for some of our local areas set records.”

The August unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent – tied for sixth among all 14 MSAs in Georgia. That’s down 0.3 percent from the previous month and down from 5 percent one year ago. 

The labor force decreased in August by 1,010 to reach 65,599 total members.  The number has climbed by nearly 1,300 over the past 12 months. 

Valdosta  lost 805 employed residents in August, dropping its total to more than 63,036. That number has grown by about 1,909 over the past year.  

Valdosta  saw jobs increase by 400 in August to reach 57,200 puts Valdosta  up 1,500 jobs for the year. 

Initial claims for unemployment are down by about 17 percent for the month and are down by about 38 percent when compared to the same period a year ago.    

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 309 active job postings in metro Valdosta for August. 

The four-county MSA includes Brooks, Echols, Lanier and Lowndes counties.