Newton County’s unemployment rate was down significantly in December, 2015 from December, 2014.

According to the Georgia Department of Labor, the unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in December, 2015, compared to 7.2 percent a year prior.

The most recent rate was unchanged from November, 2015.

There were 287 more people in the Newton County labor force (48,500 compared to 48,213) than there were a year ago in December. In Newton County 2,883 people were unemployed in December 2015 and 3,482 in December 2015. There were 12 more people unemployed in December 2015 than the month prior but 152 fewer in the labor force.

Newton’s unemployment rate was a point higher than Atlanta’s in December, 2015, which held steady from November, 2015 at 4.9 percent.

The metro area's unemployment rate in December 2014 was 6 percent.

State labor officials say the last time Atlanta's rate was below 4.9 percent was in November 2007, when it was 4.4 percent.

Among Georgia's metro areas, metro Gainesville had the lowest December jobless rate at 4.3 percent.

The Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.6 percent.

The metro area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted.