Jobless Rates Inch Higher in Alpharetta, Milton

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The jobless rates in both Alpharetta and Milton rose slightly in the first month of 2015, the Georgia Department of Labor said Thursday.

Alpharetta’s January rate rose one-tenth of a percent to 4.5, up from a revised rate of 4.4 percent in December. For Milton, its increase was slightly higher. Its January rate clocked in at 4.6 percent, also up from 4.4 percent in December.

Metro Atlanta’s rate was 6.2 in January, up from 6.0 in December.

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The rates in January 2014 were 5.4 percent in Alpharetta, 5.2 percent in Milton and 7.1 in the metro.

The labor department also tracks jobless rates for cities with populations over 25,000. Rates for surrounding cities include: Duluth at 5.7 percent; Gainesville at 5.6 percent; Johns Creek at 4.7 percent; Lawrenceville at 7.8 percent; Marietta at 6 percent; Roswell at 4.8 percent; Sandy Springs at 4.9 percent; and Woodstock at 5.7 percent.

The department of labor said the metro Atlanta rate increased as the area lost 35,100 jobs, many of which were temporary and part-time jobs related to the holiday season, and had a 7 percent increase in new claims for unemployment insurance.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was 6.4 percent, down from 6.6 percent in December. It was 7.3 percent in January 2014.

Note: Local area unemployment data and jobs are not seasonally adjusted.

Photo credit: Patch file