(The Center Square) – After holding steady at 3.6% for several months, Georgia’s unemployment rate dipped slightly in May to 3.5%, the Georgia Department of Labor said Thursday.
Georgia gained 4,900 jobs in May, the department said.
The health care and social assistance sector had the most job gains with 4,000 and led the state in job creation over the year with 22,700. The administrative and support services sector added 2,400 jobs, followed by accommodation and food services with 1,900 and state government with 1,200 new jobs, the department said.
State government is the second largest job creator over the year with an additional 4,300 jobs, according to the Labor Department.
Sectors that dropped are wholesale trade at a loss of 1,600 jobs and construction jobs declined by 1,400.
“With unemployment falling to 3.5% – after holding steady at 3.6% for nearly a year – and recent job growth, we’re proving once again that Georgia’s business-friendly environment and competitive workforce deliver results,” said Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “More than 5 million Georgians are working today because we never stop fighting for policies that put Georgia first.”
The American Legislative Exchange Council ranked the Peach State third in the nation for its labor policies.
The Peach State’s 10-year private sector growth is 23.88%, ninth among the states, according to the report.
The state’s lowest score was for government jobs, which make up 14.39% of the labor force, according to June 2024 statistics. Georgia ranked 16th in that category.
