January 2025

Released March 17, 2025

Download the full PDF for Georgia

Download the summary PDF for Georgia

United States Employment Snapshot

• In January, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 19, and remained unchanged in 23.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.

• In January, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 19. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in South Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Georgia.

Georgia Employment Snapshot

• In January, Georgia lost 28,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Georgia added 13,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Georgia added 17,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 40th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, Georgia’s private sector lost 30,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 1,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Georgia added 14,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in Georgia fell by 3,122, and over the past 12 months it rose by 9,624.

• Georgia’s labor force participation rate fell to 61.2 percent in January from 61.3 percent and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.5 percentage points.

---

Georgia Payroll Employment

• Georgia lost 28,200 net payroll jobs, or -0.6 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Georgia added 13,100 jobs. Georgia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 40th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Georgia lost 30,400 private sector jobs, or -0.7 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Georgia added 14,000 jobs. Georgia private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 81,000 jobs in January, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 42nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during January were Government (2,200) and Manufacturing (1,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Leisure and Hospitality (-7,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-12,400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (23,200) and Government (16,600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,900) and Professional and Business Services (-14,200).

Georgia Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Georgia fell to 61.2 percent in January from 61.3 percent in the prior month.

• Georgia ranks 36th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Georgia was 63.9 percent occurring in September 2017, and the 10-year low was 59.6 percent occurring in September 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in January.