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For most improved, Georgia comes in (tied for) fourth

By Michael E. Kanell
Sept 18, 2015

And in the category of most improved unemployment rate, Georgia came in fourth.

Tied for fourth, but still. This is good.

The state saw its jobless rate drop during the past 12 months from 7.1 percent to 5.9 percent. Only three states did better in bettering their unemployment rate: Rhode Island, Michigan and California.

Rhode Island’s drop was largest: 1.8 percentage points.

The state’s jobless rate was released Thursday, but today, a ranking of the states was issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Indiana, like Georgia, also saw a 1.2 percentage point drop.

Only one of the 50 states suffered a rising jobless rate during the past year: West Virginia, whose unemployment rose from 6.4 to 7.6 percent.

Georgia has been above the national average for joblessness since 2007, but the gap is closing: The national jobless rate is currently 5.1 percent.

About the Author

Michael E. Kanell, the AJC's economics writer, has been reporting on jobs, housing and the economy at the AJC for nearly two decades. He has appeared on television and radio to analyze and report on business and economic developments.

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(Illustration: Marcie LaCerte for the AJC)

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