May 2026

Released June 23, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 20, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 22.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.1 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 13. The largest payroll job percent increase was 1.4 percent in West Virginia. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Montana.

Georgia

Employment snapshot

• In May, Georgia added 6,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.4 percent. In the prior month, Georgia added 6,600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Georgia added 8,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, Georgia’s private sector added 4,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 12,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Georgia added 6,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in Georgia rose by 12,739, and over the past 12 months it rose by 56,220.

• Georgia’s labor force participation rate rose to 60.9 percent in May from 60.8 percent and ranks 34th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Georgia

Payroll employment

• Georgia added 6,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Georgia added 6,600 jobs. Georgia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Georgia added 4,300 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Georgia added 6,000 jobs. Georgia private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 120,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 25th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From April 2026 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+5,300) and State and Local Government (+2,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Other Services (-1,100) and Construction (-1,000).

From May 2025 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+25,600) and State and Local Government (+7,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-11,200) and Professional and Business Services (-7,800).

Georgia

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Georgia rose to 60.9 percent in May from 60.8 percent in the prior month.

• Georgia ranks 34th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Georgia was 63.9 percent occurring in June 2017, and the 10-year low was 59.6 percent occurring in August 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.8 percent in May.