Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that Hinesville kicked off 2019 by setting a new record for jobs.

In the two-month cycle of January and February, Hinesville posted monthly gains in jobs, labor force and employed residents.  The unemployment rate fell in February across the two-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

“We’ve started strong in 2019,” Butler said. “Communities across the state added jobs, workers and improved employment. That is very good to see.”

Overall, Hinesville ended February with 20,900 jobs. That’s an increase of about 300 from the job total as of a year ago.

Hinesville also posted gains for jobs in private services and local government.

The unemployment rate inched up in early 2019, driven by gains in the workforce. The rate climbed 0.7 percent in January but then fell by 0.5 percent in February, settling at 4.1 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4.7 percent.

Nationally, the rate for February was 3.8 percent.

The labor force increased in January by 196 and February by another 101. The February total was 33,966. That number is up down by 188 from the total from February 2018.

Hinesville ended February with 32,583 employed residents. The number dipped by 34 in January and rose by 272 in February to net at an increase of 238 over the two-month cycle.

The numbers of unemployment claims fell in February by 43 percent and were up   in January by 33 percent. When compared to last February, claims were down by 22 percent.

In February, claims were down in manufacturing administrative/support services and accommodation/food service.

The Hinesville metropolitan statistical areas covers Liberty and Long counties.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed  about 190 active job postings in metro Hinesville for both January and February.