Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Southwest Georgia region’s unemployment rate dropped again in July.
 
At the same time, the 14-county area saw its labor force shrink and the number of employed slip, too. All major indicators remain positive for the year.
 
“Georgia continues to be in a period of sustained growth,” Butler said. “There are no indicators in July that Georgia is going to slow down anytime soon. These seasonal dips are normal for this time of year and are temporary in nature.”
 
The July unemployment rate fell to 4.7 percent, down by .2 percent from June. That was ninth among 12 regional commissions. It was 5.8 percent one year ago.
 
The labor force dropped by 1,330 in July to reach 152,417 total members. That number contrasts sharply with the past year during which Southwest Georgia has averaged adding 150 per month, or more than 1,800 over the past 12 months.  
 
The Southwest Georgia  region lost 920 employed residents in July, pushing its total to 145,430. The region, over the past year, has averaged adding about 290 employed residents a month.
 
Initial claims for unemployment fell by about 3 percent for the month. They  are down by about 4 percent when compared to last July.