GA Unemployment Rate Stays Strong; Officials Call For More Jobs

GEORGIA — Though the future of unemployment in Georgia hangs on the creation of more jobs, a recent survey said the Peach State's unemployment rate remains one of the lowest in the nation.

Personal-finance website WalletHub recently released its findings on unemployment in the U.S. and where individual states stand among their counterparts and the District of Columbia.

Experts utilized changes in unemployment claims for several key benchmark weeks and the number of claims per 100,000 people in the labor force to support its data.

Overall, WalletHub said unemployment claims dropped by 2.2 percent week-over-week on Aug. 26 with 7.2 million citizens currently unemployed.

As for Georgia, WalletHub said on Sept. 5 unemployment claims were 14.11 percent lower than the previous week and 3.02 percent higher than in 2023.

Georgia ranked 11th in unemployment claims, making it one of multiple states to have a slow increase in unemployment. Georgia had 30 claims per 100,000 people in labor force.

The year to date change in unemployment claims was -10.83 percent, nearly setting Georgia in the top 10 among states that have decreased the most in unemployment.

Delaware, Ohio, Vermont, New Hampshire, Virginia, Indiana, Utah, North Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana filled WalletHub's top 10 list.

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nevada and Alaska are among several states whose unemployment claims decreased the least.

In its latest report released in August, the Georgia Department of Labor said the state unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in July, up one-tenth than the June rate.

"Georgia's labor force is larger and more dynamic than ever," Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said in a news release. "Our challenge—and our opportunity—is to partner with the business community to create jobs that meet the evolving needs of hardworking Georgians. With over 5 million workers, we have the talent. Now, we need more jobs to keep unemployment low and transform that talent into lasting success."

Overall, the labor department said there was a swelling jobs by 2,600 over the month and by 77,600 over the year. Georgia reached an all-time high of 4,980,900 available jobs.

The following sectors had notably the most over-the-month job increases: accommodation and food services; transportation and warehousing; administrative and support services; arts, entertainment and recreation; and real estate, rental and leasing. The leisure and hospitality sector boasted the highest in the group with 532,200 jobs.

The labor department said jobs dwindled in motion picture and sound recording industries, health care and social assistance, finance and insurance, wholesale trade and retail trade.

See WalletHub's full methodology here.