Valdosta also saw positive numbers across all major indicators, including number of employed residents, labor force, and initial claims for November.

“In November, almost all MSAs saw over-the-month growth in key indicators,” said Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Although the unemployment rate increased across the state, we have held consistently steady numbers in areas such as job growth and employment. We will continue to fill the jobs that are currently available, in order for us to move our economy back to where it was pre-pandemic.”

In Valdosta, the unemployment rate increased by 0.9 percentage points in November, reaching 4.9 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3 percent.

The labor force increased in Valdosta by 1,748 and ended the month with 67,584. That number is up 3,369 when compared to November of 2019.

Valdosta finished the month with 64,303 employed residents.  That number increased by 1,100 over the month and is up by 1,987 when compared to the same time a year ago.

Valdosta ended November with an all-time high of 58,800 jobs. That number increased by 1,000 from October to November and increased by 1,700 when compared to this time last year.

The number of unemployment claims went down by 50 percent in Valdosta. When compared to last November, claims were up by about 426 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed about 648 active job postings in metro Valdosta for November.