Newton County’s unemployment rate followed the rest of Georgia by showing an increase in June.

The county’s rate of 3.7% was an increase from 2.9% in May but well below the June 2021 rate of 5.1%.

The June figures from the Georgia Department of Labor also showed:

• More Newton County residents entered the labor force but the number with jobs only increased slightly, according to information from the Georgia Department of Labor.

A total of 54,961 Newton County residents were in the labor force in June, up 448 from May. The labor force is the total of residents working and actively seeking work.

• Only 19 additional residents were employed and 429 additional residents were unemployed in June compared to May.

• A total of 336 Newton residents filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits, up 49% from 226 in May. June’s total was down from 1,072 filing for benefits in June 2021.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said in a news release that all regions of Georgia recorded increases in their unemployment rates in June.

“The increase in local rates is typical for summer and Georgia is still leading the southern region and third in the nation in percentage increases in employment,” Butler said.

“While the seasonally adjusted state unemployment rate went down in June, it is important to note that local area rates are not seasonally adjusted to take account for fluctuations due to seasonal events that include weather, harvests, major holidays and school schedules,” he said. 

In the area covered by the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, including Newton and Walton counties, the June preliminary unemployment rate was up five-tenths to 3.0% from May. The rate was 3.9% one year ago, the release stated.

The June figures also showed:

• The Northeast region’s labor force was up 1,308 from May and up 12,392 from June 2021, to 326,401. The number employed was down 512 from May and up 14,806 from June 2021, to 316,597.

• Initial unemployment claims were up 379 (52%) from May and down 3,151 (a 74% decrease) from June 2021, to 1,103.

• Claims were up from May in Health Care and Social Assistance and Trade. 

• There were 7,835 jobs in the Northeast Georgia region posted on the labor department’s Employ Georgia job site.

The labor force rose in the areas covered by the Atlanta, Central Savannah River, Coastal Georgia, Middle Georgia, Northeast Georgia, Northwest Georgia and Three Rivers regional commissions. 

Employment was up in the Atlanta Regional Commission area.

Jobless claims rose in all regional commission areas.

The River Valley Regional Commission covering southwest Georgia had the highest jobless rate in Georgia at 4.3%. The lowest rate was in the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission covering north and northeast Georgia at 2.8%.

Georgia ranked third out of eight in the South region and 18th nationally for lowest unemployment rate with a preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.9% for June 2022. Only Florida was lower at 2.8%.

The Peach State also had the second lowest unemployment rate among the top 10 most populated states, the labor department reported.