Walker County’s unemployment rate stood at 3.5% in February, reflecting a slight increase from 3.4% in January and up from 3.2% one year ago, according to the Georgia Department of Labor. A total of 1,153 residents in the county were reported unemployed.
The local numbers come as Georgia continues to post record-setting employment figures. State officials report the labor force reached an all-time high of 5,455,254 in March, while total employment climbed to 5,262,263—also a record.
Georgia’s unemployment rate for March came in at 3.5%, down slightly from a revised 3.6% in February and 0.8 percentage points below the national average. However, it is 0.1 percentage point higher than the state’s rate from a year ago.
“Georgia’s economy is proving its strength with nearly 5.5 million in our labor force and 5.26 million employed, record highs that reflect momentum across our state,” said Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “March brought renewed job growth, driven by record employment in health care and social assistance.”
Statewide, the labor force increased by 4,152 in March and is up more than 45,000 over the past year. Employment rose by 5,355 during the month and is up more than 35,000 compared to this time last year. Meanwhile, unemployment declined by 1,203 over the month.
Georgia added 4,700 jobs in March, rebounding after two months of decline. The health care and social assistance sector led the way, reaching an all-time high of 641,700 jobs. Other sectors posting gains included wholesale trade, information, arts and entertainment, and other services.
Some industries saw declines over the month, including accommodation and food services, construction, and real estate.
Over the past year, the largest job gains were in health care and social assistance, followed by local and state government and arts and entertainment. Losses were reported in federal government, accommodation and food services, retail trade, transportation, and construction.
Initial unemployment claims rose slightly in March to 17,469 but remain down compared to a year ago.
Despite the slight uptick in unemployment locally, Walker County’s rate remains in line with the state average, underscoring continued stability in the regional labor market.