Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Augusta added to its labor force in February. 

According to preliminary data, the seven-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA) also showed a jump in employment for the month and the year.

In Augusta, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in February, staying at 3.7 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4 percent.

The labor force increased in February by 1,493 and ended the month with 270,446. That number is up 2,823 when compared to February of 2019.

Augusta ended February with 242,400 jobs. That number increased by 800 from January to February, and by 1,400 when compared to the same time last year.

Augusta finished the month with 260,531 employed residents.  That number increased by 1,622 over the month and is up by a significant 3,607 when compared to the same time a year ago.

The number of unemployment claims went down by about 56 percent in February. When compared to last February, claims were up by about 26 percent.