Over the last couple of weeks, I have reported that Augusta employment has surpassed pre-COVID levels, but the overall labor market is still suffering from long COVID. What about other areas of the state of Georgia?
Employment in Georgia stands over a quarter of a million jobs higher in March 2024 than it did in February 2020. Three metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) generated over three-quarters of the job growth, Atlanta, Savannah, and Gainesville. Atlanta itself accounted for two-thirds of the job growth indicating the role the capital city pays in economic growth in Georgia. Both Savannah and Gainesville have job levels over 14,000 higher than pre-Covid, together representing over 10 percent of the job growth.
Four MSAs still have employment below pre-COVID levels, Albany (100), Columbus (100), Macon (900), and Valdosta (300).
Looking at the broader labor market index (LMI) which also includes unemployment, labor force, earnings, and hours worked, there are six MSAs, including Augusta, that are below pre-Covid levels. The data indicate that post-COVID growth has occurred in two clusters, around Atlanta in the northwest of the state (including Athens, Dalton, Gainesville, and Rome) and in the southeast around the two port cities of Savannah and Brunswick.
