ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Labor recently announced that Metro Hinesville’s unemployment rate in September was 5.7 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.6 percent in August. The rate in September 2015 was 5.9 percent.

The rate rose as the labor force increased by 24 to 32,451. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but looking for jobs. While the number of employed declined by six to 30,589, the number of unemployed also rose by 30 to 1,862, which contributed to the rate hike.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 14, or 9.3 percent, to 137 in September. Most of the decrease came in administrative and support services, educational services and health care and social assistance. Over the year, claims were down by three, or 2.1 percent, from 140 in September 2015. The number of jobs decreased by 100, or 0.5 percent, to 19,700. The job losses came in local government. Over the year, the number of jobs in Hinesville was unchanged at 19,700.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.4 percent, while the Heart of Georgia- Altamaha region had the highest at 6.7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for September was 5.1 percent, up from 4.9 percent in August. It was 5.6 percent in September 2015.