The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Valdosta’s unemployment rate for January was 6.6 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 6.3 percent in December. The rate in January 2014 was 7.4 percent.

The rate increased as the metro area lost 1,100 jobs, many of which were temporary and part-time jobs related to the holiday season, and had a 31.6 percent increase in new claims for unemployment insurance. 

The number of jobs in Metro Valdosta declined to 54,600, down by 2.0 percent from 55,700 in December. Most of the job loss came in state and federal government, along with retail trade, transportation and warehousing and other private, service-related industries. 

Despite the monthly loss in mainly seasonal jobs, the metro area added 1,000 jobs, up from 53,600 in January 2014. Most of the job gains came in retail trade, transportation and warehousing, along with the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction. 

Also, there were 754 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in January, an increase of 181 from 573 in December. Most of the increase in claims came in manufacturing and construction and arts, entertainment and recreation. Over the year, claims were up by 45, or 6.3 percent, from 709 filed in January 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.3 percent. 

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January was 6.4 percent, down from 6.6 percent in December. It was 7.3 percent in January 2014. 

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.gdol.ga.gov Connect with us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter @GeorgiaDOL, which can be easily accessed via our website at www.gdol.ga.gov.