Hinesville sets records in April

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Hinesville set in April a new record for jobs and posted its lowest unemployment rate ever.

According to preliminary data, Hinesville posted monthly and annual gains in jobs.

Other monthly numbers decreased slightly across the two-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

“Georgia’s economy continues to be strong,” Butler said, “In April we saw several communities set records for jobs and others set records for lowest unemployment rate. Typically, we see gains through the summer as well.”

Hinesville ended April with 21,100 jobs – a new record high. That’s an increase of 100 jobs over the month and an increase of 600 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.

The unemployment rate fell 0.6 percentage points in April, reaching 3.3 percent. That’s the lowest rate recorded in Hinesville. A year ago, the rate was 4.1 percent.

Nationally, the rate for April dropped to 3.6 percent.

The labor force decreased in April by 287. The total was 33,677. That number is down by 43 from the total from April 2018.

Hinesville ended April with 32,564 employed residents.  That number dropped by 85 over the month and rose by 220 when compared to the same time a year ago.

The number of unemployment claims increased in April by 31 percent. When compared to last April, claims were up by about 31 percent.

The Hinesville MSA covers Liberty and Long counties.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.comshowed about 196 active job postings in metro Hinesville for April.