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

Additionally, Brunswick saw a monthly increase in jobs and a monthly decrease in initial claims in August.

“It is very promising that we continue to see the unemployment rate drop month after month, while the job market gets stronger, evoking positive news for Georgia’s economy,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “The state as a whole is leading the nation in competitive unemployment rates, coming in at 7^th lowest.” 

In Brunswick, the unemployment rate decreased 2.2 percentage points in August, reaching 5.7 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.6 percent. 

The labor force decreased in August by 1,148 and ended the month with 46,068. That number is down 7,479 when compared to August of 2019. 

Brunswick finished the month with 43,432 employed residents.  That number decreased by 52 over the month and is down by 8,166 when compared to the same time a year ago.

Brunswick ended August with 38,600. jobs. That number increased by 100 from July to August but was down by 6,900 when compared to this time last year.

The number of unemployment claims went down by 46 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 1,403 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed about 559 active job postings in metro Brunswick for August.