The Georgia Department of Labor reports that the state reached record highs in both workforce size and employment in February, even as unemployment ticked up slightly and job totals declined for a second straight month.
According to the agency, Georgia’s labor force grew to an all-time high of 5.45 million, an increase of 5,458 from January and nearly 40,000 higher than a year ago. Employment also reached a new peak of 5.25 million, rising by 3,940 over the month and up nearly 29,000 year-over-year.
Despite the gains, the state’s unemployment rate edged up to 3.6% in February, compared to 3.5% in January. The rate remains 0.8 percentage points below the national average but is slightly higher than Georgia’s 3.4% rate from one year ago.
“Georgia continues to set record highs in both employment and the size of its workforce,” said Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “That means more Georgians are working and contributing to our economy than ever before.”
The number of unemployed residents increased by 1,518 in February to 194,230, marking a rise of more than 10,000 compared to the same time last year.
Meanwhile, total jobs in the state declined by 4,200 over the month to 4.97 million and were down 5,800 over the past year. After a downward revision to January’s numbers, Georgia has now posted job losses for two consecutive months.
The health care and social assistance sector led the way, reaching an all-time high of 638,400 jobs in February and adding 1,700 positions over the month. Other sectors seeing gains included information, durable goods manufacturing, and management of companies.
However, several industries posted losses, with construction shedding 3,700 jobs, followed by declines in transportation and warehousing, retail trade, accommodation and food services, and professional and technical services.
Over the past year, health care and social assistance saw the largest gains, adding 22,500 jobs. Government employment at the local and state levels also increased. In contrast, federal government jobs dropped by more than 12,000, while transportation, retail, and wholesale trade sectors also recorded losses.
In a positive sign, initial unemployment claims fell sharply in February, dropping by more than 11,000 over the month to 16,551. That marks the lowest number of claims since November 2025 and reflects continued strength in Georgia’s labor market despite recent job declines.