Clayton County's unemployment rate dropped below six percent for the first time in ten years.

The unemployment rate was roughly 5.8 percent as of April, according to Courtney Pogue, the county's director of economic development. Unemployment in the county had declined year over year since peaking at roughly 13.5 percent in 2010.

This is the first time since November 2007 that unemployment has dropped below six percent, Pogue said in a presentation to the county commission June 6.

Economic investment and job creation also exceeded expectations in 2016, with Pogue reporting $170 million in private investment and 2,014 new jobs created, nearly doubling goals of $90 million and 1,000 jobs, respectively.

Nearly half of the new jobs came from Chime Solutions call center, with many of the other jobs created in manufacturing, transportation, logistics and utilities industries.

The county is projecting 2,000 new jobs and $200 million in investment in 2017.

In other Clayton news:

Channel 2's Audrey Washington reports.

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