ATLANTA (WSAV) — A new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights how the South, including Georgia, is managing inflation, job growth and unemployment as the region continues to recover from economic pressures.

According to the latest data, prices in the South rose nearly 3% over the past year and 0.3% in August alone. That means consumers are paying more for everyday essentials, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs and restaurant meals, as well as for items like coffee, tea and soft drinks.

There’s a bit of good news for shoppers, though. Apparel and retail prices dropped slightly across the region, a change experts said could be tied to seasonal factors.

“Apparel prices, surprisingly, have gone down,” said Timothy Ewing, Regional Economist with the Bureau of Labor Statistics

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