Local May Unemployment Numbers

The latest figures show that the unemployment rate remains just under 10 percent in Stephens County.

According to statistics from the Georgia Department of Labor, the preliminary May unemployment rate was 9.9 percent in Stephens County. That is the same as the revised April unemployment rate for Stephens County. It is also one-tenth of a percent lower than the revised rate for May 2010, which was 10 percent.

In Stephens County, the labor force increased by 137 from April to May. 116 were added to the employment rolls, while 10 were added to the unemployment rolls. Meanwhile, Stephens County’s labor force, number of employed, and number of unemployed were all down this May compared to May of last year.

Neighboring counties saw mixed results in their May unemployment rates. Franklin County saw its unemployment rate go up three-tenths of a percent to 11.3 percent, Habersham County’s unemployment rate went down one-tenth of a percent to 9.5 percent, and Banks County’s unemployment rate stayed the same at 6.9 percent.

The Georgia Mountains region, which includes Stephens County, saw its unemployment rate go up one-tenth of a percent in May to 8.5 percent. That remains four-tenths of a percent below last May’s rate of 8.9 percent.

The state unemployment rate went up one-tenth of a percent, from 9.6 percent in April to 9.7 percent in May.