The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced Thursday that Georgia’s unemployment rate for December 2025 was 3.6%, up slightly from a revised 3.5% in November. GDOL said Georgia’s rate remained 0.8 percentage point below the national unemployment rate, and matched the state’s rate from one year ago.
The Georgia Department of Labor has released new local unemployment numbers for November 2025, and Chattooga County’s unemployment rate came in at 4.8%.
Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Georgia dropped last week compared with the week prior, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
New jobless claims in Georgia — often used as a snapshot of layoffs — fell to 3,952 for the week ending December 19, down from 4,895 the previous week.
Nationally, U.S. unemployment claims also moved lower. The Labor Department reported 214,000 claims last week, down 10,000 from 224,000 the week before on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Across the country, Nebraska saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with filings rising 63.3%, while West Virginia posted the largest percentage drop, down 39.7%.
Economists often watch weekly claims as an early indicator of labor market changes, with sustained increases potentially signaling rising layoffs and continued declines pointing to steadier employment conditions.
For many families in Chattooga County, holding a steady job often means getting on the road and driving to it.
Northwest Georgia’s unemployment rate declined in September, with new figures showing the rate down two-tenths to 3.2%, according to Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “Unemployment in Georgia dropped across nearly every region in September,” Holmes said. “As we approach the end of the year, we’re staying focused on keeping workers ready, businesses strong, and opportunity growing across the state.”
