Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that in July Valdosta  increased its labor force and employed residents. 

At the same time, the four-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA) saw its unemployment rate fall.  All indicators remain positive for the year.

“Georgia’s continues to be in a period of sustained growth,” Butler said. “There are no indicators in July that Georgia’s growth is going to slow down anytime soon.” 

The July unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent – tied for sixth among all 14 MSAs in Georgia. The rate dropped 0.3 percent from the previous month. It was  5 percent one year ago. 

The labor force increased in July by 275 to reach 66,753 total members. Valdosta’s work force has climbed by nearly 2,400 over the past 12 months. 

Valdosta added 443 new employed residents in July, pushing its total to 63,987. That number has grown by about 2,700 over the past year.   

Valdosta  saw jobs stay flat at 56,900. This puts Valdosta up 1,700 jobs for the year. 

Initial claims for unemployment are up by about 20 percent for the month and are down by about 9 percent for the year. 

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 318 active job postings in metro Valdosta  for July.  

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