Fayette

County is tied for the lowest rate in the Atlanta region

with Forsyth County. Henry and Rockdale counties have the

next lowest rate with 1.9 percent.

Overall,

the region's unemployment rate is 2.8 percent, which is

the lowest rate for the 20-county area since the

Department of Labor started compiling statistics for

metro areas in 1973.

"It's

encouraging that the unemployment rate for metro Atlanta

continues at historically low levels," said State

Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. "The tight

labor market is creating many new job opportunities for

those now in the workplace as well as for those not

counted among the statistically unemployed, referred to

as discouraged workers.

The state's

unemployment rate in May was 3.5 percent, the lowest rate

for that month in 28 years.