6 months ago
72 percent of Georgia's counties have unemployment rates in the double digits.
That's according to new data released by the state Department of Labor.
In Central Georgia, Houston County had the lowest unemployment rate, coming in at 7.6 percent. That number was unchanged from June.
Hancock County had the highest recorded rate in the area with 17.8 percent unemployment.
Bibb County came in with a 10.5 percent unemployment rate. That's a tenth of a percentage point below the state level of 10.6 percent.
Oconee County had the lowest level in the state with 6.5 percent, while Jenkins County had the highest with 21.7 percent.
Statewide, the number of payroll jobs in July went down 4.9 percent from July 2008. That's a loss of 199,400 jobs. Those losses came from manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, including temporary government agencies, and construction.
Health care, private educational services, and local and state governmental education showed a combined increase of 19,600 jobs.
