Georgia is once again showing up on a list no one here wants to see. A new study finds the state had one of the sharpest declines in construction jobs over the past year.

What’s Happening: Georgia lost 3,500 construction jobs between May 2024 and May 2025, dropping from 228,300 to 224,800. That puts the state eighth-worst in the country for job losses in the sector.

The study, from Techr using federal labor data, points to possible reasons:

Rising costs for materials and labor

Delays in permits and projects

Lower infrastructure spending

Between the Lines: This isn’t just a ranking problem. Statistics show real numbers that equate to real problems. Fewer construction jobs ripple across local economies:

Workers in trades face higher unemployment

Ongoing projects—both public and p

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