Gainesville recorded an unemployment rate of 2.6 percent in May, up six-tenths of a percent compared to a month earlier, according to the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL). A year ago, it was 2.5 percent.
Meanwhile, the county’s labor force increased by 1,051 and ended the month with 115,813, an all-time high. That number went up by 4,875 when compared to May of 2023.
The jobless rate was up six-tenths to 2.9 percent over-the-month in the 13-county Georgia Mountains Regional Commission which includes Hall County; the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
In the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, which includes several other area counties, the rate increased seven-tenths to 3.3 percent.
“We are witnessing a shift within Georgia’s retail sector and several major industries as companies change the way they do business,” said GDOL Commissioner Bruce Thompson in reacting to this month’s data. “Alongside these industry changes, there is a growing influx of students and recent college graduates entering the job market, pursuing both temporary and full-time employment. This seasonal increase in workforce participation significantly impacts summertime unemployment rates across communities statewide.”