In June, several sectors in Augusta saw some big changes – the largest being government employment, which increased by 770.
State employment accounting for about a third of the increase, and local government employment accounting for the other two-thirds. Federal government was unchanged. However, state and local employment were two sectors that saw big revisions at the national level, so these local numbers could eventually come in lower.
The Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) employment level remained unchanged in June at 248,100. As you will no doubt of heard from other sources, the May and June employment numbers were revised down at the national level with the release of the July employment numbers, so the headline Augusta employment numbers may be revised down when we get local July numbers.
Education and health services employment increased by 350, and leisure and hospitality and mining, logging, and construction had triple-digit increases. Manufacturing saw employment fall by 150.
Over the first six months of the year, employment has increased by 1,200, or 0.5%, in the MSA. For reference, the (revised) employment numbers for the U.S. suggest a 0.4% growth.
Augusta MSA employment growth in the first half of the year was led by education and health services, up 1,300. Leisure and hospitality contributed almost 900 additional jobs, and government almost 600. Federal employment fell by 300. Manufacturing employment is essentially unchanged from the beginning of the year, while trade and utilities, other services, and mining, logging, and construction are down from December 2024 levels.
We will have to see over the next couple of months what revisions are made to the local data as more information comes in from employers.
