Jobless rate continues downward trend

The Jackson jobless rate fell to 10.3 percent from 10.6 percent the month before. Overall, Georgia’s rate dropped a tenth of a percent from 10.3 percent in November to 10.2 percent in December. The numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

Over the past year, in spite of some ups and downs, the rate has declined steadily from a high of 11.7 percent last February.

Other area counties and their December jobless rates include:

•Barrow, 10.0 percent, down from 10.2

•Athens-Clarke, 7.7 percent, up from 7.6

•Madison, 8.0 percent, down from 8.3

•Banks, 7.1 percent, down from 7.3

•Hall, 10.2 percent, down from 10.3

Oconee County continued to have the state’s lowest unemployment rate, 6.8 percent, for December. That’s up from 6.7 in November. Hancock County, where 22.3 percent of the labor market is unemployed, retains the highest jobless rate — even though it’s rate improved by 1.6 percentage points from November.