The Georgia Department of Labor announced that the unemployment rate in the Three Rivers region in December was 5.4 percent, unchanged from 5.4 percent in November. The rate in December 2014 was 6.7 percent.

At 5.4 percent, Three Rivers’ rate is at its lowest point since November 2007 when it was 4.9 percent.

While the rate was unchanged, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 672, or 35.5 percent, to 2,564 in December. Most of the increase came in administrative and support services, along with manufacturing. However, over the year, claims were down by 1,469, or 36.4 percent, from 4,033 in December 2014.  

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.6 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.5 percent, down from 5.6 percent in November. It was 6.6 percent in December 2014.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.georgia.gov.