The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Albany’s unemployment rate for October was 6.9 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 7.1 percent in September. The rate in October 2014 was 7.9 percent.

The rate declined as employers created more jobs. The number of jobs in Albany increased by 700, or 1.2 percent, in October to 60,600. The job gains came mostly in the service-related industries, which includes professional, business, financial and  information services, along with education and health care and leisure and hospitality.      

Over the year, Albany lost 800 jobs, down from 61,400 in October 2014. Most of the job loss came in state government, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 108, or 26.7 percent, to 512 in October. Most of the increase came in retail trade, transportation, warehousing, construction and professional and technical services. Over the year, claims were down by 20, or 3.8 percent, from 532 in October 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.3 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for October was 5.7 percent, down from 5.8 percent in September. It was 6.8 percent in October 2014.