Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Albany started 2019 with strong performance in January and February.  

In the two-month cycle of January and February, Albany posted monthly gains in jobs and employed residents.  The unemployment rate fell in February across the five-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

“We’ve started strong in 2019,” Butler said. “Communities across the state added jobs, workers and improved employment. That is very good to see.”

Overall, Albany ended February with 63,200 jobs. That’s an increase of about 900 from the job total as of a year ago.

Albany also posted gains for jobs in private services.  

The unemployment rate inched up in early 2019. The rate climbed 0.9 percent in January but then fell by 0.8 percent in February, settling at 4.7 percent. A year ago, the rate was 5 percent. 

Nationally, the rate for February was 3.8 percent. 

The labor force increased in January by 572 and fell in February by another 426. The February total was 67,654 That number is down by 58 from the total from February 2018. 

Albany ended February with 64,503 employed residents.  The number decreased by 54 in January and rose by 165 in February to net at a gain of 111 over the two-month cycle. 

The numbers of unemployment claims fell in February by 51 percent and were also down in January by 2 percent. When compared to last February, claims were up by 10 percent.

In February, claims were down in construction and manufacturing.

The five-county MSA includes Baker, Dougherty, Lee, Terrell and Worth counties.