VALDOSTA — Metro Valdosta finished 2023 with a slight dip in the unemployment rate.
The city’s jobless rate in December was 3.0%, down from 3.1% in November, a Georgia Department of Labor statement said. A year earlier, the rate was also at 3.0%.
The labor force decreased in Valdosta by 625 and ended the month with 62,548, up by 291 when compared to December of 2022, the statement said.
Valdosta finished December with 60,652 employed residents, a drop of 546 over the month and up by 250 when compared to the same time a year ago.
Valdosta ended the month with 57,300 jobs. That number remained unchanged from November to December and went up by 400 when compared to this time last year, the labor department said.
In December, initial unemployment claims decreased by 1 (-1%) in Valdosta. Comparing December 2023 claims to December 2022, claims were up by 21 (11%).