Georgia's Labor Force Participation Drops to 5-Year Low, signaling a Softening Job Market
Throughout 2024, Georgia’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) remained consistently below the national average. While the U.S. LFPR held steady between 62.5% and 62.7%, Georgia’s rate fluctuated between 61.1% and 62.1%, maintaining a persistent 1%–1.6% gap.
By December 2024, Georgia’s LFPR dropped to 61.1%, the lowest of the year and the lowest since September 2020 (59.5%), when the COVID-19 pandemic caused historic declines. This recent drop signals a softening labor market and growing workforce disengagement toward the end of 2024. Meanwhile, the U.S. LFPR remained stable at 62.5%, underscoring Georgia’s localized labor market slowdown.
Georgia Employment Declines Despite Growing Labor Force
Georgia’s civilian labor force—which includes employed individuals and those actively seeking work—grew by 250,567 people over the year, rising from 5,158,333 in December 2023 to 5,413,800 in November 2024. However, it declined slightly by 4,900 people to 5,408,900 in December 2024, possibly due to seasonal shifts or individuals exiting the job market.
Despite this expansion, total employment fell by 118,607 jobs, dropping from 5,329,007 in December 2023 to 5,210,400 in December 2024. This means that while more individuals entered the workforce, fewer found employment, leading to increased job competition.
The decline in Georgia’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) suggests that population growth may have outpaced workforce engagement. However, the year-over-year labor force increase of 250,567 people still indicates long-term growth.
Georgia's Unemployment on the Rise from its second-lowest level in 50 years
In early 2024, Georgia’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.1%, the lowest recorded during this period and the second lowest in nearly 50 years. However, by November 2024, the rate had climbed to 3.7%, where it remained in December 2024, indicating a softening job market and reduced hiring demand in key sectors.
Georgia’s rising unemployment rate reflects a broader national trend, rather than an isolated state-level issue. The U.S. unemployment rate rose from 3.7% in November 2023 to 4.2% in November 2024, before easing slightly to 4.1% in December 2024. While Georgia’s unemployment rate also increased, it remained consistently below the national average throughout this period.
Georgia Job Market December 2024: Hospitality thrives, Manufacturing struggles
Industries Losing Jobs:
From January to April 2024, manufacturing employment in Georgia grew from 431.7K to 436.0K, reaching its highest level since April 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a sharp decline. However, after peaking in April, employment steadily declined, falling to 427.1K in December, a loss of 8,900 jobs over eight months.
On a year-over-year basis, November 2023 to November 2024 saw a 2,500-job decline, while December 2023 to December 2024 recorded a 5,100-job drop, signaling a cooling trend in the sector amid economic adjustments and slowing demand.
Troup County GA's Unemployment on the rise since a Historic 30-year record low
Troup County, GA recorded its lowest unemployment rate in over 30 years in November 2023, dating back to 1992. However, the trend shifted, with unemployment steadily rising from November 2023 to December 2024.
By December 2024, Troup County’s unemployment rate reached 3.4%, up from 3.3% in November 2024 and 2.4% in December 2023, marking a 1 percentage point YoY increase.
Despite this rise, Troup’s unemployment remained below both the state average (3.7%) and national average (4.2%). However, the county’s faster YoY increase (+1.0 pp) compared to state and national trends (+0.5 pp each) suggests that local factors may be driving the sharper growth.
Potential contributors include slower job placements, increased labor market competition, or other region-specific challenges.
Troup County's see steady job creation amid rising Labor Force and Unemployment
In December 2024, 40,115 people in Troup County were either working or looking for work, up from 39,915 in November 2024 and 38,464 in December 2023. This reflects an increase of 1,651 people year-over-year and 197 more in the past month, indicating steady labor force growth, likely driven by population increases or workforce re-entry.
However, job creation is not keeping pace with labor force growth, leading to a rise in unemployment. This suggests that Troup County's job market is struggling to absorb new job seekers, possibly due to skill mismatches—where available jobs don’t align with workers' qualifications—or a shortage of opportunities in key sectors.
Troup County ranks 13th in Georgia for highest year-over-year unemployment rate increase
With 40,415 in the labor force, Troup County is a significant economic hub in west-central Georgia, larger than Heard, Meriwether, and Harris but smaller than Coweta and Muscogee.
Troup’s 3.4% unemployment rate is slightly higher than Heard (3.1%), Harris (3.0%), and Coweta (3.1%) but lower than Meriwether (4.3%) and Muscogee (4.3%). Its +1% YoY rise is outpaced by Meriwether (+1.3%) but is higher than Heard (+0.4%), Harris (+0%), Coweta (+0.5%), and Muscogee (+0.6%). This positions Troup County as moderately challenged compared to its neighbors, possibly due to its manufacturing focus.
Troup County's 2nd Highest Weekly Wage Among Neighbors
Troup County has the third-largest employment base (40,115) among its neighboring counties, and its average weekly wage ($1,066) is higher than most regional competitors, including larger counties like Muscogee ($1,003) and Coweta ($1,007). This makes Troup a relatively competitive job market, attracting talent from smaller, lower-wage counties like Harris ($884) and Meriwether ($928).
However, Troup’s wages remain significantly below the state average ($1,297), highlighting an opportunity for employers to improve compensation and better compete with larger markets across Georgia.
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Troup County's Top Industries - Q2 2024`
Troup County’s labor market remains heavily driven by manufacturing (29.7% of total private-sector employment) and logistics (10.2%), with strong wage opportunities in finance, healthcare, and construction. While service industries provide a significant number of jobs, they tend to offer lower wages compared to goods-producing sectors.
Manufacturing industries in Troup County - Q2 2024
Troup County Layoffs in 2024 hit highest level since 2015
Troup County saw 160 job losses in 2024 due to permanent closures in manufacturing and retail. Jindal Films Americas LLC shut down on March 20, 2024, cutting 98 manufacturing jobs in plastic film production, while Conn Appliances, Inc. closed on September 23, 2024, resulting in 62 retail job losses. While Jindal Films' closure hit manufacturing, Conn Appliances' shutdown impacted retail, highlighting distinct sector effects.
The loss of Jindal Films Americas was a major blow to local manufacturing, especially in packaging and materials production. However, no new layoffs in Q1 2025 suggest potential stabilization, though long-term trends remain uncertain.
Manufacturing Dominates Among Troup County's Largest Employers
Manufacturing anchors Troup County’s economy, with six of the top ten employers—including Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc., Hyundai Dymos Georgia, LLC, MOBIS Alabama, LLC, Duracell Manufacturing, Inc., Milliken & Company, and Interface Flooring Systems, Inc.—tied to this sector. Kia and its supply chain partners (Hyundai Dymos, MOBIS) solidify the county’s role as an automotive hub, driving demand for skilled workers like technicians and engineers. However, this strong reliance on the auto industry makes the local job market vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions and the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), highlighting the need for economic diversification.
The presence of globally recognized firms like Kia, Duracell, and Interface Flooring Systems underscores Troup County’s attractiveness for industrial investment. However, it also raises questions about the county’s dependence on external corporations and the importance of workforce development to sustain long-term growth and adaptability.
Who's coming?
Lee Kum Kee Sauce Group is investing $288 million to open a new manufacturing facility in LaGrange, Georgia, creating up to 267 jobs. The plant will boost production capacity to meet growing demand for Asian sauces in the Americas.
New jobs will span production, warehousing, engineering, food science, quality assurance, and administration. Hiring details will be announced soon.
This expansion strengthens Georgia’s role in food manufacturing and adds valuable job opportunities to Troup County.
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What’s Next for Troup County’s Workforce in 2025?
Troup County’s labor market is at a turning point. While workforce growth remains steady, rising unemployment and job losses in key industries highlight the need for strategic workforce development. The manufacturing sector, a major employer in the region, faces headwinds, yet new investments offer promising opportunities.
As a staffing agency with a strong local presence in LaGrange, GA, Timpl is committed to helping businesses and job seekers adapt to these changes. Connecting employers with skilled talent and providing job seekers with opportunities in high-demand sectors will be key to ensuring long-term economic growth. Moving forward, industry diversification, workforce training, and strategic hiring will play a crucial role in shaping Troup County’s job market in 2025 and beyond.