Health insurance costs continue to put pressure on family budgets in Georgia, and even when premiums are not the highest in the country, many households here still feel the strain more sharply than families in other states. Nationally, the average annual premium for employer-sponsored family coverage reached $26,993 in 2025, with workers paying an average of $6,850 of that total out of pocket. At the same time, workers’ wages rose 4% while family premiums rose 6%, meaning insurance costs are still growing faster than paychecks.
State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, says rising housing costs are one of the biggest threats facing Georgia families and argues that lawmakers must act to protect homeownership opportunities across the state.
State Representative Eddie Lumsden of Armuchee says the Georgia House experienced one of the busiest weeks of the 2026 legislative session as lawmakers worked toward Crossover Day, the deadline for bills to pass out of their original chamber in order to remain eligible for final passage before the session ends. By the end of the week, the House had passed 97 bills and resolutions, sending many measures to the Georgia Senate for further consideration.
A bipartisan measure moving through the Georgia General Assembly would eliminate the state’s 4% sales tax on diapers, baby formula, and menstrual products, classifying them as essential goods rather than taxable items. Supporters say the change would ease financial pressure on families, noting that while groceries and prescription drugs are already exempt in Georgia, diaper and feminine hygiene products are not.
Advocates point to long-term costs, with estimates showing the average woman spends about $18,000 on period products over her lifetime — plus roughly $1,000 in taxes. Government assistance programs like SNAP and WIC do not cover diapers, and the Georgia Diaper Bank Coalition estimates ending the diaper tax could save families about $80 per child. Diaper banks statewide distribute more than 1.4 million diapers each year to families in need.
The effort is being led this session by Republican State Sen. Randy Robertson, who says the issue is about prioritizing families despite the potential loss of millions in state revenue. The bill must pass committee before heading to the Senate floor ahead of Crossover Day, and supporters say it has bipartisan backing. If approved, Georgia would join a growing number of states that have eliminated sales taxes on menstrual and baby care products.
In Chattooga County, the role of “grandparent” is increasingly becoming something much bigger than weekend visits and holiday gatherings. Current figures show that about 1 in every 70 people in Chattooga County is a grandparent who is caring for grandchildren, and the number of grandparents raising children has seen a 34% increase in recent years. The growing trend is reshaping family life across the county and creating new financial, social, and community needs.
As Thanksgiving approaches, many Georgia households are bracing for a holiday meal that, while offering some relief on the centerpiece, continues to strain their budgets. Despite a welcome dip in wholesale turkey prices, the overall cost of putting together a traditional feast remains a significant balancing act for families across the state, squeezed by persistent inflation on many other grocery staples.
