Staff Report Pierce County’s estimated unemployment rate fell three tenths of a percent to 3.3 percent in November.
The local unemployment rate has fluctuated over the last three months. The rate was up half a point in October, and down 1.3 percent in September after rising seven tenths of a point in August. The rate is also up — about a full point— compared to November of last year, when the jobless rate stood at 2.4 percent.
According to Department of Labor statistics, Pierce County has a labor force of 8,756 with 8,468 employed. The number of those listed as unemployed was 288, down 31 from last month.
Pierce’s rate was four points below the state average of 3.7 percent. The state rate was up a tenth from October.
Both Pierce County and the state are lower than the nationwide unemployment rate. The national unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in November, up a tenth from October.
Georgia Department of Labor Emergency Interim Successor Louis DeBroux. said all areas of the state saw job growth and declines in unemployment in November.
“Georgia proves that smart leadership and bold policies drive economic success,” said DeBroux. “While other states struggle with overregulation and economic uncertainty, Georgia’s economy is thriving—job numbers are up in 12 regions, unemployment claims are down across the board, and businesses continue to choose our state as the best place to grow and invest. These results don’t happen by accident; they are the product of strong fiscal policies and a commitment to empowering job creators and hardworking Georgians. As we close out the year, Georgia remains a perennial leader in opportunity, innovation and prosperity.”
Georgia’s unemployment numbers continue to be near record low levels for Pierce County and across the state.
The county recorded an 8.4 percent unemployment rate in April 2020 at the peak of the shelter in place order caused by the COVID 19 virus and before businesses reopened in 2020. Georgia hit a peak of over 9 % in unemployment in April 2020 at the height of the pandemic.
In the Southern Georgia region, the unemployment rate was down three tenths to 3.6 percent, compared to October. The rate was at 2.8 percent in November of 2023.
In addition to Pierce, the 18-county South Georgia region includes Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift, Turner and Ware.
