Georgia crossed 5 million payroll jobs in May while the number of employed residents and the size of the labor force reached all-time highs, extending a three-month streak of job growth.
The state counted 5,002,400 jobs, an increase of 6,900 from April and 8,600 from May 2025, WUGA reported. The Georgia Department of Labor said the labor force grew by 9,275 to 5,470,704, while employment rose by 12,739 to a record 5,283,862.
Georgia’s unemployment rate fell from a revised 3.5% in April to 3.4% in May. That was below the 4.3% national rate reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of unemployed Georgians declined by 3,464 to 186,842, though it remained 6,820 higher than a year earlier.
The strongest monthly payroll gains came from accommodation and food services, which added 5,300 jobs, followed by administrative and support services with 4,200. Transportation, warehousing and utilities added 2,100 positions.
The record headline masked losses in several industries. Professional and technical services shed 4,300 jobs in May, while construction and nondurable goods manufacturing each lost 1,000. Over the past year, health care and social assistance led growth with 24,800 additional jobs, but federal government employment fell by 11,200 and professional and technical services lost 8,700.
Initial unemployment claims dropped by 1,948 in May to 16,388.
Federal data distinguish between payroll jobs, which are counted through employers, and employment, which measures working residents through a household survey. The two record totals therefore describe different parts of the labor market.
Georgia’s latest figures point to continued expansion and a growing workforce, but the uneven industry results show the gains are not reaching every sector equally.
