The Georgia Department of Labor announced that the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.5% in January 2026, remaining below the national rate by 0.8 percentage points. The rate is slightly higher than the 3.4% recorded a year ago.
State officials reported continued economic growth, with total jobs rising by 1,200 over the month to nearly 5 million. Over the past year, Georgia added 9,300 jobs, marking three consecutive months of gains following losses in late 2025.
Construction and health care and social assistance reached record employment levels, with 237,500 and 636,000 jobs respectively. Retail trade and transportation also saw notable monthly gains, while sectors such as administrative services and manufacturing declined.
Georgia’s labor force reached a record 5.45 million, increasing by more than 32,000 over the year. Employment also hit a new high of 5.25 million. Initial unemployment claims rose in January but remained significantly lower than last year’s levels.
