March 2026 | Released May 06, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 14, rose in 10, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.3 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 35 states and fell in 15. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Tennessee. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Hawaii, Montana, and Oregon.

Georgia

Employment snapshot

• In March, Georgia added 4,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Georgia lost 3,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Georgia added 2,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, Georgia’s private sector added 4,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 8,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Georgia lost 3,700 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in Georgia rose by 5,355, and over the past 12 months it rose by 35,302.

• Georgia’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 60.8 percent in March and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Georgia

Payroll employment

• Georgia added 4,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Georgia lost 3,300 jobs. Georgia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Georgia added 4,500 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Georgia lost 3,700 jobs. Georgia private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 20th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From February 2026 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+2,300) and Information (+1,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-1,300) and Construction (-1,200).

From March 2025 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+23,500) and State and Local Government (+5,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-12,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-7,900).

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 remained unchanged at 60.8 percent in March.

• Georgia ranks 36th 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 fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.