Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) payroll employment slipped by 200 in February from January. The good news was that the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised their jobs numbers for January. Instead of a fall of 200, there was an increase of 200. But changes of 200 represent only a 0.08 percent change in employment. The local MSA has not seen job growth or decline of any significant magnitude over the first two months of the year.
By contrast, the state of Georgia has seen a net gain of 3,700 jobs over the first two months of the year. This includes all Georgia, not just MSAs. The outsized importance of Atlanta to our state economy is shown by the fact that Atlanta itself added 6,400 jobs in January and February. Strong growth was seen in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and government.
Other areas of the state have been losing jobs. Of the fourteen MSAs I track regularly, seven lost jobs in the first two months of the year (see below) for a total of 2,200 jobs. As well as Atlanta, Albany, Athens, Rome, and Savannah added jobs. Columbus, like Augusta, saw no change in jobs over January and February.
