Jobless Rate in Sandy Springs Drops To 3.9 Percent

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Sandy Springs, GA -- The unemployment rate in Sandy Springs saw some movement in a positive direction last month, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.

The city’s rate fell to 3.9 percent in November from 4.3 percent in October, GDOL said. The city’s rate in November 2014 was 5 percent.

For its part, Fulton County’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent in November from 5.6 percent in October, the agency said Thursday. The county’s rate in November 2014 stood at 6.5 percent.

So, how does Sandy Springs compare to their neighbors? Unemployment rates for surrounding cities include: Alpharetta at 3.8 percent; Atlanta at 5.6 percent; Brookhaven at 2.2 percent; Duluth at 5 percent; Dunwoody at 3.6 percent; Johns Creek at 3.9 percent; Marietta at 4.6 percent; Milton at 4 percent; Peachtree Corners at 2.6 percent; Roswell at 3.9 percent; and Smyrna at 4.3 percent.

At the regional level, the metro Atlanta unemployment rate for November was 5 percent, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 5.4 percent in October. The rate in November 2014 was 6.1 percent.

At 5 percent, Atlanta’s rate is at its lowest point since April 2008 when it also was 5 percent.

The rate declined as employers created 18,400 jobs in November, due largely to holiday hiring. The number of jobs increased to 2.64 million or 0.7 percent, from 2.62 million in October. Most of the increase came in trade, transportation and warehousing at 12,700; government at 2,400; leisure and hospitality at 1,500; and education and health services at 1,200.

Over the year, Atlanta gained 86,500 jobs, a growth rate of 3.4 percent, up from 2.5 million in November 2014. Most of the job gains came in professional and business services at 25,100; trade, transportation and warehousing at 18,000; leisure and hospitality at 13,100; education and health services at 9,200; government at 9,100; manufacturing at 5,800; and construction and financial activities at 4,500 each.

Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 477, or 3.5 percent, to 14,257 in November. Most of the increase came in construction, manufacturing, administrative and support services, and wholesale trade. Over the year, claims were up by 755, or 5.6 percent, from 13,502 in November 2014.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 6.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for November was 5.6 percent, down from 5.7 percent in October. It was 6.7 percent in November 2014.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.georgia.gov.

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