Unemployment Rate

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.

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.

Georgia’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.6% last month, which is six-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate.

Employment is down in Athens and across Georgia, according to a report released by the Georgia Department of Labor.

In brief: Athens area unemployment ticks up; Abrams visits Athens; Georgia GOP House members oppose science funding package; MTG suit moves to state's highest court; south Georgia county sues to force land sale for spaceport

The city of Athens recorded a rise in unemployment rates in the month of May, according to a statement made by Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler this Thursday. At the end of May Athens recorded a 2.5 percent unemployment rate, up four-tenths of a percent over the month.