January 2026 | Released April 08, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

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

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In January, payroll jobs rose in 45 states and fell in 6. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in California and North Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

Georgia

Employment snapshot

• In January, Georgia added 1,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Georgia added 8,500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Georgia added 9,300 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 21st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, Georgia’s private sector added 1,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 16,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Georgia added 8,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in Georgia rose by 1,827, and over the past 12 months it rose by 23,810.

• Georgia’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 60.8 percent in January and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.3 percentage points.

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Georgia

Payroll employment

• Georgia added 1,200 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Georgia added 8,500 jobs. Georgia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 21st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Georgia added 1,400 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Georgia added 8,600 jobs. Georgia private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 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 17th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From December 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,200) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,500).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-2,600) and Information (-1,100).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+22,100) and State and Local Government (+5,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-12,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-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 remained unchanged at 60.8 percent in January.

• 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.