State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said that metro Valdosta’s jobs, employment and labor force numbers grew in November, as unemployment insurance claims declined.

“This is a great jobs report,” Butler said. “For the year, all the significant numbers are trending in the right direction. This is further proof of our growing, dynamic economy.”  

Metro Valdosta posted 57,700 jobs in November, up by 400 from a revised 57,300 in October.  The job growth came in the private service-related industries such as trade, transportation and warehousing.

Since November 2016, metro Valdosta has posted 500 new jobs. Over-the-year job growth came in the service industries and the goods-producing sector such as manufacturing and construction.  

The number of employed residents rose by 291 to 62,986. From November a year ago, the number of employed residents was up by 1,148.   

The area’s labor force, which includes the total number of residents with jobs and those unemployed but looking for work, was up by 295 in November. The labor force, at 65,770, is up by 728 since November 2016.

Unemployment claims were down by 20 percent to 234. Claims were down in manufacturing and trade. When compared to last November, claims were down by 30 percent from 336.

The November unemployment rate, at 4.2 percent, was unchanged from 4.2 percent in October. The November rate compares favorably to last November when the rate was 4.9 percent.