Savannah's jobless rate was 3.3% in September, up from 3.2% a year earlier, as about 2,300 more people joined the labor force. Chatham County was 3.1%, Georgia 3.5%.
Savannah’s unemployment rate was 3.3% in September, up from 3.2% in September 2025. The city’s labor force grew by about 2,300 people over the year. The number out of work rose by about 120.
Updated Oct. 28: this story first reported the August figures. It now leads on the preliminary September estimates the BLS has published. The revised August figures are further down.
The figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. They are not seasonally adjusted, so the fair comparison is with the same month a year earlier.
September at a glance
| Area | September 2026 | September 2025 | August 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Savannah | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Chatham County | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Georgia | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.4% |
All rates are not seasonally adjusted, and September 2026 is preliminary. Sources: BLS series for the city, Chatham County and Georgia.
Savannah’s rate sits a little above the county’s. The county figure also takes in the cities around Savannah, such as Garden City, about five miles northwest, and Pooler, about seven miles northwest. Both the city and the county ran below the statewide rate.
The rate rose even though more people were working. More people joined the labor force than found jobs, so the number looking for work grew a little faster.
The numbers behind the rate
In the city of Savannah, according to the BLS:
- 77,659 people were in the labor force in September, up from 75,386 a year earlier.
- 2,551 people were unemployed, up from 2,428.
In Chatham County:
- 161,013 people were in the labor force, up from 156,117.
- 4,970 people were unemployed, up from 4,540.
The labor force counts people who have a job or are looking for one. The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force without a job and looking for one.
August, revised
The BLS revises each month once. Savannah’s August rate stayed at 3.2%. The city’s August labor force was revised to 77,092, from 77,212, and the number unemployed to 2,466, from 2,465. Chatham County’s August rate stayed at 3.0%, with a labor force of 159,827 and 4,785 unemployed.
The past year, month by month
The rate moved between 2.6% and 3.4% over the year. It was lowest in April, at 2.6%, and highest in January and February, at 3.4%. The monthly figures were:
| Month | Rate |
|---|---|
| September 2025 | 3.2% |
| October 2025 | not published |
| November 2025 | 3.3% |
| December 2025 | 3.1% |
| January 2026 | 3.4% |
| February 2026 | 3.4% |
| March 2026 | 3.1% |
| April 2026 | 2.6% |
| May 2026 | 2.9% |
| June 2026 | 3.3% |
| July 2026 | 3.0% |
| August 2026 | 3.2% |
| September 2026 | 3.3% (preliminary) |
There is no October 2025 figure. The BLS lists the month as “data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations,” the federal government shutdown that fall.
What it means for you
- If you are looking for work, the Georgia Department of Labor’s EmployGeorgia job board lists openings across Chatham County.
- The September numbers will change. The BLS marks the latest month as preliminary and revises it the following month.
- October’s figures for the city and county come in the next BLS monthly release. We will update this story when they are out.
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