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Crisp County’s jobless rate continues to drop, according to new data released by the Georgia Department of Labor.

The unemployment rate for the county fell to 3.8 percent in September from 4.3 percent in August, while the statewide jobless rate slipped to 3.2 from 3.8 percent.

Dooly and Wilcox counties’ unemployment rates also dropped. Dooly County’s unemployment rate went from 3.9 percent in August to 3.6 percent in September. Wilcox County’s jobless rate fell to 4.3 percent in September compared to August’s 4.9 percent.

Crisp and Dooly counties are part of the River Valley Regional Commission, a 16-county collaborative that works to improve economic opportunities for its member governments. Wilcox County is part of the Heart of Georgia Regional Commission.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said River Valley and Heart of Georgia’s unemployment rates for September were the lowest ever recorded for the two regions..

“It’s exciting to see so many of our communities across the state doing so well,” Butler said. “We continue to add jobs and see the unemployment rate fall. Even better, people are getting hired – often at record levels.”

A year ago, River Valley’s overall unemployment rate was 5.5 percent. In the Heart of Georgia region, the rate was 5.8 percent in September 2017. The overall unemployment rate for September, at 4.1 percent, was down .7 percent over the previous month.

The River Valley area includes Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Webster counties.

The Heart of Georgia region includes Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and Wilcox counties.