December 2024 | Released January 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 7, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In December, payroll jobs rose in 43 states and fell in 7. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Georgia Employment Snapshot

• In December, Georgia added 9,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, Georgia lost 400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Georgia added 60,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Georgia is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Georgia’s private sector added 11,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 44,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Georgia lost 300 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Georgia fell by 4,973, and over the past 12 months it rose by 52,104.

• Georgia’s labor force participation rate fell to 61.5 percent in December from 61.6 percent and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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Georgia Payroll Employment

• Georgia added 9,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Georgia lost 400 jobs. Georgia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Georgia is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Georgia added 11,100 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Georgia lost 300 jobs. Georgia private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Georgia is tied for 32nd 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 December were Education and Health Services (5,100) and Information (3,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Government (-1,200) and Manufacturing (-3,200).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (33,000) and Leisure and Hospitality (18,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,800) and Manufacturing (-5,100).

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 61.5 percent in December from 61.6 percent in the prior month.

• Georgia ranks 36th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Georgia was 64 percent occurring in August 2017, and the 10-year low was 59.5 percent in September 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.