Decatur County's preliminary unemployment rate jumped .5% to 12.4% in December 2011, according to figures released today by the Georgia Department of Labor.
The unemployment rate jumped in all of the tracked counties, except Early County, which decreased by .1%. Decatur County had the biggest jump at .5%, with Seminole jumping .4%.
Decatur County's labor force dropped by 101 persons to 10,960, as the number of employed dropped by 150 persons. The result was a net increase in unemployed of 49 persons to 1,364.
Meanwhile, Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined in December for the third straight month, dropping to 9.7 percent, down from a revised 9.8 percent in November. The jobless rate was 10.4 percent in December a year ago.
The state rate declined because 11,500 Georgians went back to work in December. Statewide, there were 600 new construction jobs, and manufacturing grew by 400 jobs. Job gains also came in information services and trade and transportation.
| SW GA |
Appx Labor
Force |
2011 Unemployment Rates |
| Counties |
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sept |
Aug |
July |
June |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan |
| Miller |
3,500 |
6.4% |
6.3% |
6.7% |
7.2% |
7.6% |
7.6% |
7.9% |
7.1% |
6.9% |
7.1% |
7.4% |
7.6% |
| Grady |
11,800 |
8.1% |
7.8% |
8.1% |
8.4% |
8.6% |
9.0% |
9.1% |
8.9% |
8.9% |
8.8% |
9.4% |
9.5% |
| Baker |
1,575 |
8.4% |
8.1% |
9.7% |
10.2% |
9.7% |
9.5% |
9.4% |
9.3% |
8.8% |
8.4% |
9.5% |
9.9% |
| Thomas |
21,900 |
8.5% |
8.2% |
8.6% |
8.9% |
8.9% |
8.9% |
9.1% |
8.5% |
8.4% |
8.6% |
9.0% |
9.2% |
| Colquitt |
20,400 |
8.9% |
8.7% |
9.3% |
9.7% |
9.9% |
10.1% |
10.3% |
9.7% |
9.8% |
9.9% |
10.3% |
10.1% |
| Early |
5,500 |
9.2% |
9.3% |
9.5% |
10.1% |
10.0% |
10.2% |
10.4% |
9.6% |
8.8% |
8.9% |
9.4% |
9.4% |
| Mitchell |
9,900 |
9.4% |
9.1% |
9.8% |
10.2% |
10.5% |
10.4% |
10.8% |
9.7% |
9.8% |
9.7% |
10.4% |
10.2% |
| Seminole |
3,800 |
10.2% |
9.8% |
10.6% |
10.9% |
10.9% |
10.9% |
11.1% |
10.2% |
9.9% |
10.3% |
11.1% |
10.9% |
| Decatur |
11,100 |
12.4% |
11.9% |
12.7% |
13.3% |
13.6% |
13.4% |
13.7% |
13.3% |
13.1% |
13.3% |
13.8% |
14.2% |
State of Georgia Labor Stats
