Media release from the Georgia Department of Labor:
The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that Georgia’s unemployment rate for January 2026 was 3.5%, holding steady from a revised 3.5% in December. January’s unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage point lower than the national unemployment rate. Georgia’s rate was 3.4% one year ago.
“Georgia continues to lead as one of the nation’s Top States for Talent,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “With record highs in both our labor force and employment, more Georgians are stepping into mortgage-paying jobs and opportunity, while employers continue choosing Georgia to grow and succeed. This is the advantage of a state that’s built for jobs, powered by talent, and focused on what comes next.”
In January, jobs were up 1,200 over the month to 4,984,300 and were up 9,300 over the past 12 months. After three consecutive months of job losses from August to October 2025, Georgia has now added jobs for three months in a row.
The sectors reaching an all-time high for jobs in January 2026 were construction, 237,500; and health care and social assistance, 636,000.
In January, the sectors with the most over-the-month job gains included retail trade, 2,200; health care and social assistance, 2,100; construction, 1,300; transportation, warehousing, and utilities, 1,200; and accommodation and food services, 800. Jobs were down over the month in administrative and support services, 2,200; wholesale trade, 1,200; durable goods manufacturing, 900; federal government, 800; and private educational services, 600.
The sectors with the most job gains over the past year included health care and social assistance, 22,200; construction, 5,700; local government, 4,400; state government, 1,300; and three industries all gaining 900 each: arts, entertainment, and recreation; real estate and rental and leasing; and accommodation and food services. Jobs were down over-the-year in federal government, 12,500; wholesale trade, 4,100; information, 4,000; transportation, warehousing, and utilities, 2,300; and retail trade, 1,400.
Georgia’s labor force increased by 4,210 to 5,445,612 in January, an all-time high, and rose by 32,092 over the past year.
Employment rose by 1,827 to 5,252,878, an all-time high, and increased by 23,810 over the past 12 months.
Unemployment rose by 2,383 to 192,734 in January and was up 8,282 over the past year.
Initial claims were up 1,052 over the month to 27,703 in January and down 6,791 over the year.
For personalized assistance, employers can reach Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) staff at https://dol.georgia.gov/email-us. For more information on unemployment benefits, claimants should call 877.709.8185 or visit their MyUI Claimant Portal. GDOL’s Career Centers also provide in-person unemployment insurance benefit services for customers statewide.
For more information on jobs and current labor force data, visit Georgia LaborMarket Explorer to view a comprehensive report.
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