{"schema_version": 1, "id": "savannah-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10", "product": "Metro Job Market Pulse", "metro": {"geography_id": 395, "label": "Savannah, GA MSA", "slug": "savannah-ga-msa"}, "focus_area": {"key": "general_conditions", "slug": "metro-job-market", "label": "General Market Conditions"}, "period": "2026-10", "public_after": "2026-10-01", "frozen_at": "2026-11-03T08:06:47.599266+00:00", "headline": "Savannah's labor force hits record highs, but growth stalls.", "headline_summary": "Savannah's labor force and employment reached all-time highs in May (220,823 and 214,930), yet the metro added just 500 jobs in Q2 while initial unemployment claims rose 11.4%.", "key_indicators": [{"label": "Metro unemployment rate", "value": "2.7%", "context": "May 2026, lowest in Georgia"}, {"label": "Q2 employment growth", "value": "+500 jobs (0.2%)", "context": "Down sharply from prior quarters"}, {"label": "Initial unemployment claims", "value": "657", "context": "Up 11.4% from 590 in Q4 2025"}, {"label": "Manufacturing employment growth", "value": "+3.3% YoY", "context": "25,700 jobs vs. retail -400 jobs"}], "takeaways": [{"headline": "Record labor force, stalled growth \u2014 a capacity story.", "body": "Savannah's labor force and employment hit all-time highs in May, yet Q2 added only 500 jobs regionwide. Growth this tight signals the local economy may be running against the limits of its current labor supply."}, {"headline": "Rising claims are the quiet counter-signal to low unemployment.", "body": "Initial unemployment claims jumped 11.4% in Q1 even as the metro posted a 2.7% unemployment rate, the lowest in the state. Divergence between these two measures is an early indicator worth tracking before it shows up in the headline rate."}, {"headline": "Manufacturing is Savannah's clearest growth engine right now.", "body": "Manufacturing employment grew 3.3% year-over-year to 25,700 jobs while retail employment fell by 400. Port-linked and logistics-adjacent production activity appears to be the sector absorbing the metro's labor force growth, with consumer-facing retail contracting."}, {"headline": "Delivery driver pay surge may reflect logistics-sector strength.", "body": "Metro delivery driver pay rose significantly to $39,520, moving above the $34,826 national median \u2014 an unusual local premium. Pattern is consistent with sustained freight and distribution activity tied to the Port of Savannah as the primary driver, a sector-specific trend rather than a broad-based service-sector wage trend."}], "local_conditions": "Savannah's labor force and employment both hit all-time highs in May 2026 at 220,823 and 214,930 respectively, yet Q2 growth slowed to just 500 net new jobs (0.2%), and initial unemployment claims jumped 11.4% to 657 in Q1 \u2014 a combination that reads as a metro approaching the limits of its available labor supply. Manufacturing employment rose 3.3% year-over-year to 25,700 jobs, while retail shed 400 positions, consistent with the port and logistics corridor continuing to absorb workers as consumer-facing sectors soften.", "implications": "Record labor force participation alongside near-stalled job growth suggests Savannah's economy has shifted from an expansion story to a capacity-constraint story \u2014 the metro is filling its available labor pool faster than it is creating new positions, a dynamic that shapes site-selection and expansion conversations in ways that go beyond what raw unemployment figures suggest. Rising initial claims alongside historically low unemployment (2.7% in May) point to selective softening beneath a strong headline number, meaning commerce leaders evaluating business climate should look past the unemployment rate to sector-level churn. Current conditions suggest economic development officials and chamber leaders track quarterly claims trends alongside the unemployment rate when briefing prospective employers on workforce availability.", "looking_ahead": [{"category": "Early indicator", "body": "Watch whether Q3 2026 initial claims continue the upward trend seen in Q1, or whether the 11.4% jump proves to be a one-quarter anomaly. A second consecutive rise would be a stronger signal of emerging softness beneath the low unemployment headline."}, {"category": "Worth watching", "body": "Georgia Southern's Economic Monitor has flagged hospitality as a drag on Q2 growth; metro-level data for Q3 should clarify whether leisure and hospitality stabilizes heading into the 2026 holiday season or continues to offset port and manufacturing gains."}, {"category": "Potential inflection point", "body": "National information-sector job losses (-23,000 in September) and flat business services have not yet shown up distinctly in Savannah data; commerce leaders should note whether local professional-services job ads, a signal of hiring demand (one ad often covers several openings), begin tracking the national pattern."}, {"category": "Policy-relevant", "body": "Federal employment levels near 1966 lows and national labor force growth constraints tied to retirements and immigration policy are structural factors with no clear metro-specific data yet; worth monitoring whether Savannah's labor force gains (record highs through May) continue against this national headwind."}], "roles": [{"role": "Retail Sales Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 25388.0, "metro_p50": 31200.0, "metro_p75": 34320.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 33340.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Retail Cashier", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 24440.0, "metro_p50": 27040.0, "metro_p75": 29120.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 31268.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31905.5, "metro_p50": 37440.0, "metro_p75": 39520.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 38480.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "CDL Truck Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 55120.0, "metro_p50": 73674.0, "metro_p75": 83995.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 78872.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Delivery Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 30921.0, "metro_p50": 39520.0, "metro_p75": 46540.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 34826.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Construction Laborer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 34320.0, "metro_p50": 37440.0, "metro_p75": 40477.25, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 40726.6, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Electrician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 54970.0, "metro_p50": 62130.2, "metro_p75": 70713.25, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 71835.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 33258.0, "metro_p50": 39520.0, "metro_p75": 41600.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Customer Service Representative", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31200.0, "metro_p50": 37486.0, "metro_p75": 41600.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Food Service Worker", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 26555.0, "metro_p50": 30491.0, "metro_p75": 35360.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33764.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 30160.0, "metro_p50": 34551.0, "metro_p75": 36840.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 41600.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 29611.0, "metro_p50": 38335.0, "metro_p75": 41600.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 44552.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "HVAC Technician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 59289.0, "metro_p50": 68640.0, "metro_p75": 72800.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 71406.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Registered Nurse", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 80000.0, "metro_p50": 93121.2, "metro_p75": 99575.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 102252.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Software Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 86180.5, "metro_p50": 142998.2, "metro_p75": 162934.75, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 154403.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Data Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 106412.0, "metro_p50": 123135.6, "metro_p75": 136511.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 138000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Accountant", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 51655.0, "metro_p50": 60300.0, "metro_p75": 65507.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 72000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Financial Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 66495.0, "metro_p50": 72500.0, "metro_p75": 79073.75, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 94646.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "HR Generalist/Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 50440.0, "metro_p50": 60000.0, "metro_p75": 64102.25, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 74477.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Marketing Specialist", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 37825.5, "metro_p50": 49266.0, "metro_p75": 58162.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 62916.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Operations Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 70000.0, "metro_p50": 91317.0, "metro_p75": 92500.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 86294.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Elementary/Secondary School Teacher", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31200.0, "metro_p50": 50364.0, "metro_p75": 59645.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 55908.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Account Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 61336.0, "metro_p50": 84489.2, "metro_p75": 90000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 94009.4, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Warehouse Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 57500.0, "metro_p50": 82500.0, "metro_p75": 95500.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 75000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Business Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 70796.0, "metro_p50": 82500.0, "metro_p75": 89833.75, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 98302.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}], "industry_snapshot": [{"sector": "Construction", "median_pay": 60685.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Manufacturing", "median_pay": 72823.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Retail Trade", "median_pay": 35890.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities", "median_pay": 58000.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Information", "median_pay": 52935.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Financial Activities", "median_pay": 50027.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Professional & Business Services", "median_pay": 46213.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Education & Health Services", "median_pay": 78654.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Leisure & Hospitality", "median_pay": 32250.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Government", "median_pay": 64305.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}], "citations": [{"source_name": "Savannah Business Journal", "source_url": null, "statement": "Savannah MSA labor force and employment hit all-time highs in May 2026"}, {"source_name": "Georgia Southern University Economic Monitor", "source_url": null, "statement": "Q2 2026 regional employment grew by only 500 jobs (0.2%)"}, {"source_name": "Georgia Southern University Economic Monitor", "source_url": null, "statement": "Initial unemployment claims rose 11.4% to 657 in Q1 2026"}, {"source_name": "Georgia Southern University Economic Monitor", "source_url": null, "statement": "Manufacturing employment up 3.3% year-over-year to 25,700; retail down 400 jobs"}, {"source_name": "Georgia Department of Labor", "source_url": null, "statement": "Georgia unemployment rate at 3.3%, 0.9 points below national rate"}], "methodology": "Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay.", "edition_label": "November 2026", "files": {"html": "savannah-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "pdf": "savannah-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf", "sources_html": "savannah-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.sources.html"}, "published_at": "2026-11-03T08:30:00.137052+00:00", "report_html_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/savannah-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "report_pdf_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/savannah-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf"}