
The cost of living is becoming an increasingly important issue for Chattooga County households as residents face higher prices for several basic necessities — particularly gasoline, diesel fuel and groceries.

The cost of living is becoming an increasingly important issue for Chattooga County households as residents face higher prices for several basic necessities — particularly gasoline, diesel fuel and groceries.

Georgia set new records for both the size of its labor force and the number of people employed during August, while the state’s unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level in two and a half years.

Georgia motorists are paying considerably more at the pump as rising crude oil prices continue to push gasoline prices higher across the state.

The price posted on a diesel pump may look like a problem primarily for truck drivers, but with diesel now above $6 per gallon in Georgia, the effects could eventually be felt by almost every business — and household — in Chattooga County.

Georgia’s state tax collections continued to grow in August, with revenues approaching $2.5 billion for the month.

The City of Summerville has formally expressed its support for the PROPEL Program, a University of Georgia initiative designed to help rural communities develop strategies for long-term economic growth and stability.

Georgia recorded another record-breaking year for economic development, with approximately $35.2 billion in new project investments during Fiscal Year 2026, according to Governor Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Unemployment declined across Northwest Georgia in July, with the regional jobless rate falling to 3.1 percent, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.
That rate was down three-tenths of a percentage point from June and well below the 3.8 percent rate recorded one year ago.
Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes said July brought lower unemployment in every metro area and region of the state. She credited cooperation among state leaders, local communities and businesses, saying the department remains focused on putting Georgians to work and expanding economic opportunity.
In Northwest Georgia, the labor force declined by 1,274 people over the month but was still up 7,400 compared with a year ago, reaching 459,530.
The number of employed residents increased by 164 over the month and by 10,492 over the year, bringing total employment in the region to 445,273.
Initial unemployment claims rose by 148 from June, totaling 1,956, but were still down sharply from a year earlier — by 2,196 claims.
The July numbers point to continued year-over-year improvement in Northwest Georgia’s labor market, with more people working and fewer residents unemployed than at the same time last year.

Georgia’s public colleges and universities generated a record $25.1 billion economic impact during fiscal year 2025, according to a new University System of Georgia study.

Georgia’s labor market reached new record territory in July, with the state reporting all-time highs for both the number of people in the labor force and the number of Georgians employed.