Bartow County's Jobless Rate Makes Big Drop to 8.2%

Bartow County saw a big shift in its overall unemployment rate, dropping because its labor force declined and more workers were hired.

The number of employed workers rose by 151 in March, with the labor force declining by 281 people to 48,918.

A year ago the county's jobelss rate was more 1 percent higher at 9.5 percent.

The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that metro Atlanta’s unemployment rate declined to 7.9 percent in March from 8.3 percent in February. The rate was 8.9 percent in March a year ago.

The rate declined because of an increase in the number of jobs and fewer new layoffs.

Out of the county's 48,918 workers, 3,991 went without jobs last month, which is less than were counted as unemployed in February this year and March  2012.

Other surrounding counties in the metro Atlanta area include: 

County                Rate
Bartow                 8.2%
Cherokee             6.7
Cobb                    7.1
Douglas                8.4
Forsyth                 6.1
Fulton                   8.5
Paulding                7.6
Metro Atlanta         7.9

Georgia                 8.4

The number of jobs in metro Atlanta increased to 2,381,200, up by 13,100 from 2,368,100 in February. Most of the growth came in leisure and hospitality, 5,900; administrative and support services, 4,600; and professional and business services, 4,200. The number of government jobs declined by 1,400.