Cobb, Smyrna Unemployment Rates Increase

More Cobb County and Smyrna residents were out of work in July than June, according to figures released by the Georgia Department of Labor on Thursday.

Smyrna’s unemployment rate increased by two-tenths of one percent to 5.2 percent, according to the preliminary unemployment figures for July. Some 1,705 Smyrnans were out of work last month. During July of 2014, the unemployment rate was 6.5 percent.

The unemployment rate in Cobb County increased from 5.4 to 5.5 percent between June and July, the preliminary figures show. The unemployment rate during July of 2014 was 6.7 percent.

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Across the state, the unemployment rate dropped from 6.1 to 6.0 percent, owing to job growth mostly in local government, 4,300; professional and business services, 3,100; retail trade, 2,800; and leisure and hospitality, 1,700. The overall increase was offset somewhat by job losses in state government, 2,400; educational services, 2,100; and finance and insurance, 1,100.

July’s statewide unemployment rate was the lowest in Georgia since May 2008.

“It’s been more than seven years since Georgia’s unemployment rate was this low, and the credit belongs to our employers who continue to create jobs and put people to work,” State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said in a news release. “In July, we had 89,400 more jobs than in the same period a year ago.”

In July 2014, the statewide unemployment rate was 7.2 percent.