Fayette County's unemployment rate continued to plummet as May's rate fell to 1.7 percent.

In figures released last week by the Department of Labor, Fayette's rate dropped from 1.8 percent. The figures showed the county with a labor force of 47,397 and only 822 residents counted as unemployed.

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.

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