ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that metro Hinesville’s unemployment rate decreased to 8.4 percent in November, down 0.8 percent from 9.2 percent in October.
This is the lowest the rate has been since it was 8.4 percent in April 2013. The rate was 8.7 percent in November a year ago. The rate declined in November primarily because the number of unemployment-insurance claims was down.
The number of new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment-insurance benefits, decreased to 176, down by 159, or 47.5 percent, from 335 in October. Claims declined in several sectors, including health care and social assistance, trade, transportation and warehousing, along with professional and technical services. There were 268 claims in November 2012.
While the number of jobs in Hinesville was unchanged at 19,500 from October to November, they were down from 19,600 in November 2012, due to the loss of some federal-government jobs.
The number of unemployed people in Hinesville decreased to 2,712, down by 253 from 2,965 in October. There were 2,876 unemployed in November 2012.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 7.7 percent, down from 8.1 percent in October. The rate was 8.7 percent in November a year ago.
Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10 percent.  
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us.