The six largest counties in the Atlanta metropolitan region recorded net job losses for the year 2020, according to information just release by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The six counties include Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, and Gwinnett. Each of the six counties had average annual employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2019.
Clayton County suffered the largest percentage loss of its jobs
base in 2020 with a net loss of almost 10 percent of its jobs. This compares to
losses of 6 percent for Fulton County, the state’s largest county by employment.
In contrast, Forsyth County recorded a net loss of 3 percent of its jobs in
2020.
Statewide, Georgia saw a net loss of 181,542 jobs in 2020,
which translates as a 4 percent decline in jobs as losses in the first half of
2020 were only partially recovered in the second half of the year.
Job losses/gain
for largest counties in the Atlanta metro area, 2020
Clayton County – 1st half 2020 = -28,507. 2nd
half 2020 = 16,143. Calendar year = -12,364
Cobb County – 1st half 2020 = -39,638. 2nd
half 2020 = 24.643. Calendar year = -14,995
DeKalb County – 1st half 2020 = -26,814. 2nd
half 2020 = 11,609. Calendar year = -15,205
Forsyth County – 1st half 2020 = -4,425. 2nd
half 2020 = 2,101. Calendar year = -2,324
Fulton County – 1st half 2020 = -109,812. 2nd
half 2020 = 50.960. Calendar year = -58,852
Gwinnett County – 1st half 2020 = -32,561. 2nd
half 2020 = 16,490. Calendar year = -16,071
Average Weekly Wage
In the fourth quarter of 2020, Fulton County experienced the highest average weekly wage at $1,707, while Forsyth County had the lowest at $1,135. All counties reported increases in average weekly wage as compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. Increases in average weekly wages reflect employment declines combined with wage increases.
Total Wages Paid
In terms of total payrolls, Clayton County saw the total
payrolls of its employers decline by 4 percent as companies laid off workers in
the first half of 2020. Clayton County was the only county among the six large
counties in the Atlanta metro area that recorded a gross payroll decline over
the year.
Additional information for Georgia’s county-level employment
in 2020 will be available from BLS at a later date.
