Alpharetta's Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.9%

Alpharetta's unemployment rate was down to 5.9 percent in March, two-tenths of a percent lower than the February rate.

Alpharetta and Roswell share the lowest unemployment rate in preliminary figures from the Georgia Depatment of Labor.

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.

Alpharetta had 1,874 people who are counted as jobless in March, 63 fewer than in February. The number of people employed rose by 101, while the labor force increased by 38 people, up to 31,798 workers.

A year ago Alpharetta's jobless rate was half a percentage point higher at 6.4 percent. The workforce was smaller by 440 people.

City                     Rate
Alpharetta             5.9%
Atlanta                 9.9
Douglasville         10.1
Johns Creek          6.4
Kennesaw             8.5
Marietta                7.9

Roswell                 5.9

Sandy Springs       6.1

Smyrna                7.7
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.