How many jobs were lost in Georgia last month?
Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed annually
Georgia gained 1,200 jobs in January 2026, ranking it 38th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 8,000 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+1.2K
month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)
38th
rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)
January 2026's gain of 1,200 jobs was the 3rd consecutive month of positive job growth in Georgia. Monthly job growth was down from the 8,500 new jobs in December 2025.
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Georgia gained jobs in 47 out of 60 months. October 2025 had the 16th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+55,800) while job growth was weakest in October 2025 (-12,200).
There were 1,200 more jobs in January 2026 in Georgia than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Georgia sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Georgia gained jobs in 47 out of 60 months. October 2025 had the 16th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+55,800) while job growth was weakest in October 2025 (-12,200).
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were retail trade, health care and social assistance, and construction. Retail trade added 2,200 jobs, more than the entire economy. Health care and social assistance gained 2,100 jobs, while construction added 1,300. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The health care and social assistance sector gained 2,100 jobs during January 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Georgia (January 2026)
How does Georgia's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?
In 2025, the state has gained an average of 617 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 3,800, and the smallest since 2024. The 2025 average ranks as the 16th-highest in job growth since 2006.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 15,500 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 17,200 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Georgia gained an average of 617 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among 14 metro areas at least partially in Georgia during January 2026 ranged from a loss of 1,400 jobs in the Atlanta, GA area to a gain of 200 jobs in the Augusta, GA area metro area.
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
