Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Three Rivers region set a record high for number of employed workers for the month of May.

The 10-county area also saw an increase in the size of the labor force and a decrease in the unemployment rate – both positive indicators, according to a press release from Butler’s office.

“Georgia’s economy remains very strong,” Butler said. “Across the board, the state’s numbers are very positive for the year and many areas continue to set records.”

The number of employed residents in the region grew to 241,182 – an all-time high. This represents an increase of 835 for the month and an increase of 6,669 for the year.

In May, the unemployment rate in the Three Rivers region fell 0.2 percent to 3.5 percent, down from 4.7 percent a year ago. The state rates vary from a low of 2.9 percent in the Georgia Mountains region to 4.5 percent in the River Valley region.

“We continue to have record local [numbers in our] region which is to be expected with the number of new jobs created in Troup County,” County Commission Chairman Patrick Crews said. “[This] reinforces the need for our efforts to develop a system of identifying and training individuals for these jobs.”

The Three Rivers labor force ended May at 249,962. That number is up 255 over the last month and up 3,919 over the last year. 

In the Three Rivers region, initial claims for unemployment were down about 14 percent for the month but up about 13 percent for the year.

“The positive trends continue for not only LaGrange and Troup County, but our entire region as our businesses and industries continue to grow, expand and add jobs,” LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton said. “This will be a continued benefit to our residents.”

The Three Rivers area includes Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup and Upson counties.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com, showed 1,489 active job postings in the Three Rivers region for May.

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