Jobless Rates Jump in Alpharetta, Milton

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ALPHARETTA-MILTON, GA -- The cities of Alpharetta and Milton both experienced increases in their respective jobless rates, according to figures released Thursday by the Georgia Department of Labor.

The rate for Alpharetta last in February clocked in at 4.3 percent, up from 3.9 percent in January. Alpharetta's unemployment rate in February 2015 stood at 4.4 percent.

Milton's increase was slightly smaller. The city's rate in February was reported at 4.5 percent, up from 4.2 percent in January. Its unemployment rate for February 2015 was also 4.4 percent.

How do Alpharetta and Milton compare to their neighbors? Jobless rates for area municipalities include: Brookhaven at 2.6 percent; Duluth at 5.1 percent; Dunwoody at 3.9 percent; Johns Creek at 4.3 percent; Lawrenceville at 6.7 percent; Marietta at 5.1 percent; Peachtree Corners at 2.9 percent; Roswell at 4.2 percent; Sandy Springs at 4.4 percent; Smyrna at 4.6 percent; and Woodstock at 5 percent.

At the regional level, the metro Atlanta unemployment rate also climbed two-tenths of a percent from 5.1 in January to 5.3 in February.

The rate in February 2015 was 6 percent. GDOL states the rate rose due to the increase in the number of unemployed residents growing by 5,931, as the labor force increasing by 20,305.

At the same time, the number of jobs increased by 7,700, or 0.3 percent, to 2,606,500 from 2,598,800 in January. Most of the increase came in professional and business services, 6,700; government, 2,800; and health care and social assistance, 2,400. The overall job gains were somewhat offset by losses in trade, transportation and warehousing and financial activities.

And, over the year, metro Atlanta gained 72,500 jobs, a 2.9 percent growth rate, up from 2,534,000 in February 2015 Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation and warehousing, 18,900; professional and business services, 15,400; and leisure and hospitality, 13,900.

Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for February was 5.4 percent, unchanged from January. It was 6.2 percent in February 2015.

Please note that local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.georgia.gov.

Patch editor Tim Darnell contributed to this article.