Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Valdosta posted a strong February as critical job measures trended in the right direction.  

Butler noted jobs, employed residents, and labor force all increased in February. At the same time, the unemployment rate held constant and unemployment claims dropped. 

“It’s good to see we picked up this year right where we left off from 2017,” Butler said. “I expect Georgia will have a very good 2018. And, it’s great to see so many of our local communities have gotten off to a good start.”

In February, the number of employed residents in the Valdosta area, at 63,187, was up by 516 over the month and 2,010 for the year. 

Jobs climbed by 600 to 56,300 in February. They increased by 800 over the past 12 months.

The Valdosta labor force ended February at 66,167. That number is up 521 over the month and 1,716 over the past 12 months. The area’s labor force includes the total number of residents with jobs and those unemployed but looking for work. 

At the same time, the jobless rate held at 4.5 percent over the past month. A year ago, the jobless rate was 5.1 percent. Georgia’s 14 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) had unemployment rates that varied from a low of 3.6 percent in Gainesville to Dalton’s 5.5 percent.

Initial claims for unemployment were down about 50 percent for the month and up about 27 percent for the year.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 395 new active job postings in metro Valdosta for February.