Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Brunswick’s unemployment rate decreased in May. 

Due to the effects of COVID-19, all MSA’s continue to see stinted yearly growth, yet monthly gains in nearly all major sectors are beginning to spike.  

“The fact that almost every single monthly indicator in May’s job market report was positive shows great promise to Georgia’s economy up ahead,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “Seeing these monthly numbers begin to increase means that we are definitely heading back in the right direction.”   

In Brunswick, the unemployment rate decreased 5.1 percentage points in May, reaching 11.1 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.3 percent. 

Brunswick ended May with 36,400 jobs. That number increased by 1,300 from April to May but was down by 8,800 when compared to this time last year. 

The labor force decreased in May by 103 and ended the month with 46,341. That number is down 6,602 when compared to May of 2019. 

Brunswick finished the month with 41,214 employed residents.  That number increased by 2,276 over the month but is down by 9,994 when compared to the same time a year ago. 

The number of unemployment claims went down by 36 percent in May to 9,576. When compared to last May, claims were up by about 4,888 percent.