Georgia Department of Labor

Georgia’s labor force rose by 4,152 to 5,455,254, while employment increased by 5,355 to a record 5,262,263. The number of unemployed residents declined by 1,203 to 192,991.

The Georgia Department of Labor reported Thursday that the four-county Athens Metropolitan Area saw growth in its labor force, employment and job numbers in February.

Georgia’s labor force and employment reached record highs in February, according to the Georgia Department of Labor. The state’s labor force rose to 5.45 million, while employment climbed to 5.25 million.

According to numbers released by the Georgia Department of Labor on Thursday, the four-county Athens Metropolitan Statistical Area had an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is up two-tenths of a percent over the month.

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.

Unemployment dropped in metro Athens and all of Georgia’s 12 regional commissions over the month of December.

Georgia’s unemployment rate continues to hover below the national average. The state of Georgia ended 2025 with an unemployment rate of 3.6% for the month of December.

This was unchanged from August, and is one point lower than the national average. While the number of jobs decreased by over 3,000 in the month of September, the yearly total rose by over 24,000.

The Georgia Department of Labor announced a slight increase in unemployment across the state, in all 12 regional commissions.

The Georgia Department of Labor has announced that Georgia’s unemployment rate has dropped for the month of May, compared to April’s 3.6% rate.