State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that metro Atlanta’s booming economy posted a strong September even while the region lost jobs for the month.

During September, metro Atlanta lost 5,000 jobs, a 0.2 percent drop, which decreased the total number of jobs to 2,752,900. Most of the job loss came in leisure and hospitality, including food services and drinking places.

At the same time, metro Atlanta saw its unemployment rate fall, unemployment insurance claims decline and an increase in residents finding work – all indicators of a robust, growing region, Butler said.

“When you look at the full picture and take the numbers in context, the metro Atlanta economy continues to do very well,” Butler said. “Seeing the number of jobs increase is always a good indicator, however, seeing the number of employed Georgians increase is the ultimate positive result.”

The labor commissioner noted that over the past year, metro Atlanta has gained 68,300 jobs, a 2.5 percent growth rate. Those gains came in professional and business services, 30,500; education and health services, 8,900; leisure and hospitality, 7,600; trade, transportation and warehousing, 6,300; financial activities, 5,000; and information services, 4,000. 

Butler said Wednesday that in September the unemployment rate was 4 percent and employment among residents increased by 38,823. The September unemployment rate was down from 4.6 percent in August. The September rate compares favorably to last September when the rate was 5.3 percent.

“The low and falling unemployment rate coupled with nearly 40,000 workers finding jobs shows a region that continues to drive the state’s economy,” Butler said. “Not only is the region producing good jobs, it’s putting people to work.”

Unemployment claims were down by 15.9 percent, to 10,372. Claims were down in retail trade.  Compared to last September claims were down by 9.3 percent from 11,435.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at  employgeorgia.com showed 37,658 new active job postings in metro Atlanta for September.

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