{"schema_version": 1, "id": "valdosta-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10", "product": "Metro Job Market Pulse", "metro": {"geography_id": 348, "label": "Valdosta, GA MSA", "slug": "valdosta-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": "2026-11-03T08:06:52.804957+00:00", "headline": "Valdosta holds steady as Georgia's record labor market carries the region.", "headline_summary": "Valdosta's 3.6% unemployment rate continues to track below the 4.1% national average, riding Georgia's ninth straight month of record employment even as uneven local wage movement \u2014 gains in operations and trades, declines in teaching and administrative pay \u2014 complicates the broader growth story.", "key_indicators": [{"label": "Valdosta MSA unemployment rate", "value": "3.6%", "context": "vs. 4.1% national, 3.3% Georgia statewide"}, {"label": "Georgia initial jobless claims", "value": "15,874", "context": "50-year low, last matched in April 1974"}, {"label": "National wage vs. inflation gap", "value": "1.5% vs 3.5%", "context": "Median weekly earnings growth trails CPI, Q3 2026"}, {"label": "Valdosta MSA nonfarm employment", "value": "~56,100-56,700", "context": "Stable through mid-2026, no sharp swings"}], "takeaways": [{"headline": "Valdosta's labor market tightness mirrors the state.", "body": "The metro's 3.6% unemployment rate sits close to Georgia's 3.3% statewide figure and well under the 4.1% national rate, consistent with broad Georgia labor force records and reflecting a statewide story. Commerce leaders citing low unemployment as a local selling point should frame it within this statewide context to maintain credibility with policy audiences."}, {"headline": "Wage gains cluster in operations and skilled trades.", "body": "Operations Manager pay rose significantly and HVAC Technician and Accountant pay also posted notable local increases, while Teacher, Administrative Assistant, and Food Service pay all declined. Divergence this sharp suggests demand concentration in specific functions, a distinction worth noting for any public commentary on local cost-of-living trends."}, {"headline": "Public-sector job growth statewide offers a stability signal worth tracking locally.", "body": "Local and state government led Georgia's over-the-month job gains in September, with 3,300 and 700 positions respectively, reinforcing the public sector's role as a steadying force in the broader labor market. Valdosta's own public-sector employers, including Valdosta State University, likely benefit from this same statewide stability even absent metro-specific confirmation."}, {"headline": "Real wage erosion nationally complicates the local growth narrative.", "body": "National median weekly earnings rose 1.5% against 3.5% CPI inflation in Q3, meaning real purchasing power fell even as headline job numbers looked strong. Valdosta's own stable-to-declining pay in several frontline categories \u2014 Food Service, Administrative, Teaching \u2014 suggests local households may be feeling this squeeze more acutely than aggregate unemployment figures imply."}], "local_conditions": "Valdosta MSA unemployment held at a tight 3.6% through mid-2026, running below both the national rate of 4.1% and tracking Georgia's statewide tightness, even as nonfarm employment across the four-county metro stayed steady near 56,000-56,700 workers. Local labor market conditions appear consistent with statewide patterns \u2014 Georgia posted its ninth straight month of record labor force and employment levels in September alongside a 50-year low in initial jobless claims \u2014 suggesting Valdosta's stability reflects broader regional momentum tied to statewide trends.", "implications": "Steady employment levels alongside low unemployment point to a local economy operating near full capacity, a condition that supports business expansion plans but leaves limited slack in available labor supply for new or growing operations. Wage patterns across the metro's advertised-pay basket are uneven \u2014 gains in accounting, HVAC, and operations management against declines in teaching, administrative, and food service pay \u2014 which may signal shifting demand concentration in specific sectors. Commerce leaders evaluating site selection or expansion timing should consider that metro-level stability masks sector-level divergence, and local economic development materials may benefit from highlighting the sectors showing wage strength.", "looking_ahead": [{"category": "Data gap to monitor", "body": "Current Valdosta-specific figures lag through July-August 2026, with no confirmed September or October local WARN filings or employer announcements available. Press and government economists should treat any national or state extrapolation to Valdosta with appropriate caution until local workforce board data catches up."}, {"category": "Emerging pressure point", "body": "National information, professional services, and financial activities sectors shed jobs in September, a pattern that could eventually touch Valdosta's smaller professional-services base even though local data shows no confirmed impact yet. Commerce leaders should watch whether any white-collar softening nationally shows up in local office-based job postings."}, {"category": "Policy-relevant signal", "body": "Slowing national labor force growth, linked in part to demographic retirement trends and immigration policy shifts, is a structural headwind economists are tracking for its effect on regional labor supply. Valdosta's own labor force trends should be watched against this backdrop without attaching partisan framing to the underlying policy drivers."}, {"category": "Worth watching", "body": "Georgia's 50-year-low initial jobless claims figure sets a high bar last matched in April 1974; any uptick in coming months, locally or statewide, would be a meaningful inflection point given how historically rare current conditions are. A reversal would warrant closer scrutiny of whether Valdosta's own stability is beginning to shift."}], "roles": [{"role": "Retail Sales Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 21965.0, "metro_p50": 29478.8, "metro_p75": 36400.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33340.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Retail Cashier", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 22700.0, "metro_p50": 24960.0, "metro_p75": 28080.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 31268.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31615.0, "metro_p50": 35817.0, "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": 61835.5, "metro_p50": 81900.0, "metro_p75": 91000.0, "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": 26251.0, "metro_p50": 30423.0, "metro_p75": 31830.25, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 34826.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Construction Laborer", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 31200.0, "metro_p50": 37440.0, "metro_p75": 41350.0, "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": 55352.0, "metro_p50": 66041.8, "metro_p75": 71943.0, "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": 32907.5, "metro_p50": 37003.0, "metro_p75": 37003.0, "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": 34279.25, "metro_p50": 37440.0, "metro_p75": 39758.0, "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": 25521.0, "metro_p50": 28221.8, "metro_p75": 36130.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 33764.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 28991.0, "metro_p50": 37509.6, "metro_p75": 41489.0, "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": 31429.0, "metro_p50": 36200.0, "metro_p75": 38763.75, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 44552.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "HVAC Technician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 56083.0, "metro_p50": 65780.6, "metro_p75": 70720.0, "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": 83200.0, "metro_p50": 89979.4, "metro_p75": 98646.0, "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": 120259.0, "metro_p50": 129550.0, "metro_p75": 134435.5, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 154403.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Data Engineer", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 99105.5, "metro_p50": 134538.8, "metro_p75": 151343.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 138000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Accountant", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 49770.0, "metro_p50": 66345.0, "metro_p75": 72813.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 72000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Financial Analyst", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 66934.75, "metro_p50": 90889.0, "metro_p75": 97590.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 94646.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "HR Generalist/Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 52704.0, "metro_p50": 53051.4, "metro_p75": 54717.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 74477.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Marketing Specialist", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 45966.0, "metro_p50": 58500.0, "metro_p75": 70334.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 62916.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Operations Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 67500.0, "metro_p50": 84405.4, "metro_p75": 92219.5, "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": 23140.0, "metro_p50": 40751.0, "metro_p75": 51838.5, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 55908.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Account Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 65000.0, "metro_p50": 87500.0, "metro_p75": 94936.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "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": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 80000.0, "metro_p50": 96514.8, "metro_p75": 107358.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 98302.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}], "industry_snapshot": [{"sector": "Construction", "median_pay": 49956.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Manufacturing", "median_pay": 75389.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Retail Trade", "median_pay": 38327.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities", "median_pay": 64061.0, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Information", "median_pay": 67130.5, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Financial Activities", "median_pay": 52249.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Professional & Business Services", "median_pay": 52000.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Education & Health Services", "median_pay": 53434.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Leisure & Hospitality", "median_pay": 28080.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Government", "median_pay": 66659.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}], "citations": [], "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": "valdosta-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "pdf": "valdosta-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf", "sources_html": "valdosta-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.sources.html"}, "published_at": "2026-11-03T08:31:47.709671+00:00", "report_html_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/valdosta-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.html", "report_pdf_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/valdosta-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-10.pdf"}