Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Albany added more jobs in August.
 
According to preliminary data, Albany also saw its annual number for labor force and employed residents grow across the five-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
 
“It’s good to see so many of our communities doing well,” Butler said. “We continue to add jobs at a record rate and see claims for unemployment fall. Overall, August was a strong month across the state.”
 
In Albany, the unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage points in August, reaching 4.5 percent. A year ago, the rate was 5 percent.
 
Albany ended August with 62,700 jobs. That number rose by 500 over the month but increased by 400 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The labor force decreased in August by 14. Albany ended the month with 66,150. That number grew by 40 when compared to August of 2018.
 
Albany finished the month with 63,201 employed residents.  That number decreased by 42 over the month but increased by 416 when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The number of unemployment claims went down by about 12 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were down by about 13 percent.