Georgia Unemployment Rate Holds Steady in February

Georgia’s February unemployment rate was 3.1 percent, unchanged from a revised 3.1 percent in January.

The unemployment rate has held at 3.1 percent for seven consecutive months and was five-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate of 3.6 percent.

Initial claims for unemployment were down 45% from January in February.

In January, Georgia had the highest labor force participation rate in the southeast, 61.0 percent, as well as the highest employment-to-population ratio in the region, 59.1 percent.

State Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said that due to sustained investments in the state’s economy and workforce, Georgia remains a top destination to live, work, and raise a family.

Jobs were up by 3,200 in February and up 2.8% over the year to 4.8 million, an all-time high.

The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains included Retail Trade, Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, Specialty Trade Contractors, Local Government, and Wholesale Trade.

Additionally, Georgia’s labor force increased for the fifth consecutive to 5.2 million – the largest one-month increase since March 2022.

In February, over 120,000 job listings were online for Georgians to access.

The top five employers included Wellstar Health System, Cox Communications, Emory University, Piedmont Healthcare, and the University of Georgia.