Sandy Springs Unemployment Rate Drops in February

Fewer people were unemployed last month in Sandy Springs.

That's according to figures released by the Georgia Department of Labor that show the city's rate in February dropped to 5.5 percent. That's a slight decrease from 5.7 percent in January, and a significant improvement from the 6.5 percent unemployment rate from a year ago.

The rates for the remaining north Fulton County cities remained unchanged in February: Roswell at 5.2 percent, Alpharetta at 5.4 percent, Milton at 5.5 percent and Johns Creek at 5.8 percent. 

Sandy Springs' rate also is below the metro Atlanta average of 6.9 percent in February. 

The metro rate dipped from 7.1 percent in January primarily due to the area seeing 23 percent fewer new layoffs and a drop in initial unemployment claims.

The metro rate for February 2013 was 8.4 percent. 

While the number of new claims fell, the metro region lost about 1,900 seasonal jobs — mostly in leisure, hospitality and retail — in February. The total number of jobs fell from 2.41 million in January to 2.4 million last month.

Unemployment rate for other cities include: Woodstock at 6.8 percent, Marietta at 7.1 percent, Dunwoody at 5.4 percent, Smyrna at 6.8 percent and Duluth at 6.6 percent.