Atlanta unemployment rate rises to 4.7 percent in December

ATLANTA - The unemployment rate for the Atlanta area rose to 4.7 percent in December, up slightly from 4.6 percent in November. The jobless rate in December 2001 was 4.2 percent. <br> <br> The Athens area continues to have Georgia&#39;s lowest unemployment rate at 2.7 percent, up slightly from 2.6 percent in November. <br> <br> Here are the December unemployment rates for other Georgia metropolitan areas, compared with the unemployment rate for November. <br> <br> Albany, 4.7 percent, up from 4.5 percent <br> <br> Augusta, 4.6 percent, unchanged <br> <br> Columbus, 4.9 percent, down from 5.1 percent <br> <br> Macon, four percent, unchanged <br> <br> Savannah, 3.5 percent, up from 3.4 percent <br> <br> The statewide unemployment rate for December, released last week, was 4.6 percent, up from 4.4 percent in November. The state&#39;s jobless rate in December 2001 was 4.3 percent.