Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said last week that Hinesville lowered its initial claims for unemployment in December.
According to preliminary data, Hinesville also saw all critical indicators remain positive for the year, across the two-county MSA.
“This was a very positive year for the state,” Butler said. “We saw over-the-year growth in almost every MSA, and our key jobs sectors continue to grow as the economy expands.”
In Hinesville, the unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage points in December, reaching 3.2 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.9 percent.
Hinesville ended December with 21,100 jobs. That’s the same as last month and an increase of 400 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.
The labor force decreased in December by 24. The total was 33,732. That number is up by 24 from the total from December 2018.
Hinesville ended December with 32,646 employed residents. That number decreased by 70 over the month but was up by 262 when compared to the same time a year ago.
The number of unemployment claims decreased in December by nearly 5 percent. When compared to last December, claims were down by nearly 8 percent.
The Hinesville MSA covers Liberty and Long counties.
Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed about 353 active job postings in metro Hinesville for December.