Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Albany tied in October its lowest unemployment rate ever.
 
According to preliminary data, Albany also saw its labor force, jobs and employment grow across the five-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
 
“In October we had eight local communities set a total of 13 new records,” Butler said. “We increased jobs, employment and added to our labor force in virtually all of our major markets.”
 
Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed in October to 3.6 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage points. The nation also grew to its labor force by 325,000, increased employment by 241,000 and added more 125,000 jobs.
 
Georgia’s unemployment rate, meanwhile, fell in October by 0.1 percentage points to 3.4 percent. That tied Georgia’s all-time low set in December of 2000.
 
Rates fell or held steady across all 11 of Georgia’s 14 MSAs. Four set records for lowest rate ever.
 
In Albany, the unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points in October, reaching 3.7 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4.5 percent.
 
Albany ended October with 63,400 jobs. That number rose by 100 over the month and increased by 100 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The labor force increased in October by 142. Albany ended the month with 66,773. That number is down by 643 when compared to October of 2018.
 
Albany finished the month with 64,326 employed residents.  That number increased by 260 over the month and decreased by 28 when compared to the same time a year ago.
 
The number of unemployment claims went down by about 9 percent in October. When compared to last October, claims were down by about 80 percent.