Smyrna's Unemployment Rate Drops

According to Georgia Department of Labor statistics released Thursday, Smyrna’s unemployment rate went down seven-tenths of a percentage point in November from 10.5 percent in October.

In November, 2010, the jobless rate for Smyrna was at 10.6 percent; the 2011 rates are significantly less at 9.8 percent.

That’s lower than the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 9.9 percent, but still higher than the U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 8.6 percent last month.

Around 196 citizens found employment in Smyrna, in November, according to data announced by Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. Smyrna has a labor force of 28,319 people. Estimates show 25,548 people are employed.

Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had its largest one-month decline since 1977, falling to 9.9 percent from 10.2 percent in October. The jobless rate was 10.4 percent in November, 2011.

Georgia’s rate dropped because of an increase of 22,400 jobs that are attributed to retail trade, financial and business services and education and health care.

Local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. Metro Dalton had the highest area rate at 11.8 percent and metro Athens the lowest at 6.9 percent.

Georgia labor market data is available at www.dol.state.ga.us.

- Gail Moore contributed to this story