From December 2024 to March 2025, private-sector businesses in Georgia saw gross job losses of 238,711 and gross job gains of 231,169, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee stated that this resulted in a net employment loss of 7,542 jobs for the first quarter of 2025. In comparison, the previous quarter recorded a net gain of 27,912 jobs.
The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics measure changes in employment at private-sector establishments from one quarter to the next. The net change is calculated as the difference between gross job gains and gross job losses.
In Georgia during the first quarter of 2025, gross job losses accounted for 5.7 percent of private-sector employment, slightly higher than the national rate of 5.4 percent. These losses stemmed from contractions at existing businesses and closures. Contracting establishments lost 183,837 jobs—an increase of 9,000 from the prior quarter—while closing establishments lost 54,874 jobs, up by 4,916 compared to the previous period.
Gross job gains represented 5.5 percent of private-sector employment in Georgia during this time frame; nationally, this figure was marginally higher at 5.6 percent. Expanding establishments in Georgia contributed to a gain of 182,135 jobs—a decrease of 10,604 from the last quarter—while opening establishments added another 49,034 jobs but experienced a decline of 10,934 compared to the previous period.
Seven out of eleven major industry sectors in Georgia reported more gross job losses than gains during this period. Transportation and warehousing had the largest net decrease with a loss of 7,307 jobs due to high gross job losses (19,128) compared to gains (11,821). The leisure and hospitality sector followed with a net loss of 6,195 jobs; professional and business services lost a net total of 5,444 jobs. On the other hand, education and health services posted a net gain—the highest among all sectors—with an increase of 5,139 jobs. Retail trade also showed growth with a net gain of 3,338 jobs.
The BED series provide data on gross job gains and losses by industry subsector for all states as well as certain territories and by employer size class at the firm level. More information can be found on the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and through their summary reports.
The next release covering second-quarter data for Georgia is scheduled for February 26, 2026.
BED data are produced through cooperation between federal and state agencies under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program using BLS records.
