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ATLANTA, GA --
Preliminary numbers for unemployment are in and things are looking better for Southwest Georgia and Albany according to a press release from the Georgia Department of Labor.

According to data released by the Georgia Department of Labor,  the preliminary unemployment rate in the Southwest Georgia region declined to 8.9 percent in October, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 9.0 percent in September while Albany declined to 9.3 percent in October, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 9.4 percent in September 

The rate declined because the number of unemployed people in Southwest Georgia dropped by 49, to 14,475 from 14,524 in September while the number of unemployed people in Albany dropped by 80, to
6,856 from 6,936 in September.

Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 8.7 percent in October, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 9.0 percent in September. The jobless rate was 9.7 percent in October a year ago.

Statewide, there were 3,971,700 jobs in October, up 36,000, or nine-tenths of a percentage point, from 3,935,700 in September. Over the year, Georgia gained 68,000 jobs, or 1.7 percent, from 3,903,700 in October 2011.