VALDOSTA – According to Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, Southern Georgia region’s unemployment rate dropped in July 2018 to 4.3 percent, which was down .2 percent from June. A year ago it was 5.3 percent.

The July unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent, down by .2 percent from June. That was tied for seventh among 12 regional commissions. It was 5.3 percent one year ago.

Simultaneously, the labor force dropped by 199 in July to reach 182,360 total members, increasing by more than 3,600 over the past year – averaging about 300 a month.