Coffee County, Georgia Economy

Non-metropolitan Georgia county · FIPS 13069

Unemployment Rate
3.6%
-0.6 pp vs. year ago
Jul 2026 · GA 3.3%
Labor Force
18,249
+1.4% vs. year ago
17,601 employed
Population
43,161
Rank 49 of 159 in GA
Median Household Income
$50,175
Rank 115 of 159 in GA
Median Home Value
$125,700
Rank 101 of 159 in GA
Avg. Weekly Wage (private)
$974
2025 annual average

Coffee County economy at a glance

Coffee County’s unemployment rate was 3.6% in July 2026, 0.3 percentage points above the Georgia rate of 3.3% (U.S.: 4.1%). That ranks Coffee 97th lowest among Georgia’s 159 counties. A year earlier it was 4.2%, so unemployment has fallen by 0.6 points over the past twelve months. Since 1990 the county’s rate has ranged from 3.0% (December 2021) to 18.3% (December 2009).

Coffee County had a civilian labor force of 18,249 people in July 2026, of whom 17,601 were employed and 648 were unemployed and looking for work. The labor force grew 1.4% from a year earlier, and the number of employed residents rose by 372.

With an estimated population of 43,161, Coffee is the 49th most populous county in Georgia. Its median household income of $50,175 is 10% below the median for Georgia counties ($55,714) and ranks 115th of 159. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $125,700, about 2.5 times the median household income. 63% of households own their home, and renters pay a median gross rent of $713 a month.

According to the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers in Coffee County had about 15,250 jobs on average in 2025, with another 2,726 in federal, state and local government. The largest private sector is Manufacturing, with 3,786 jobs (25% of private employment). The highest-paying major sector is Wholesale Trade, averaging $1,444 a week. The average private-sector weekly wage is $974, the 71st highest among Georgia counties.

Unemployment rate: Coffee vs. Georgia vs. U.S.

Monthly, last 10 years
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (county, not seasonally adjusted). Georgia rate calculated by econHQ from all 159 county LAUS totals. U.S.: BLS, seasonally adjusted (UNRATE).

Employment & labor force

Employed residents vs. civilian labor force, monthly, last 10 years
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Private employment by industry

2025 annual average, private sector
Source: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Sectors with data suppressed for confidentiality are not shown.

Average weekly wage by industry

2025 annual average, private sector
Source: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.

Income & housing compared with Georgia

2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
MeasureCoffeeMedian GA countyRank of 159
Population43,16123,84049th
Median household income$50,175$55,714115th
Median home value$125,700$161,000101st
Median gross rent$713/mo$847/mo131st
Rent as % of income24.6%28.7%127th
Homeownership rate63.1%71.4%127th
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Rank 1 = highest value among Georgia counties.

Recent monthly labor data

Most recent first, not seasonally adjusted
MonthUnemp. rateEmployedUnemployedLabor force
Jul 20263.6% 17,601 648 18,249
Jun 20263.9% 17,378 701 18,079
May 20263.5% 17,746 638 18,384
Apr 20263.3% 17,822 603 18,425
Mar 20263.8% 17,687 694 18,381
Feb 20264.0% 18,005 745 18,750
Jan 20264.2% 17,801 773 18,574
Dec 20253.5% 18,112 661 18,773
Nov 20253.9% 17,962 723 18,685
Sep 20253.7% 17,799 690 18,489
Aug 20254.0% 17,453 726 18,179
Jul 20254.2% 17,229 764 17,993
Jun 20254.1% 17,198 737 17,935

Industry detail

2025 annual averages, private sector, ranked by employment
IndustryJobsShare of private jobsAvg. weekly wage
Manufacturing3,786 24.8% $1,061
Retail Trade2,330 15.3% $693
Transportation & Warehousing1,599 10.5% $1,205
Accommodation & Food Services1,524 10.0% $411
Administrative & Waste Services928 6.1% $857
Construction683 4.5% $1,039
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting558 3.7% $1,022
Wholesale Trade508 3.3% $1,444
Finance & Insurance300 2.0% $1,377
Real Estate & Rental & Leasing96 0.6% $976
Utilities67 0.4% $1,188
Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation47 0.3% $293

Questions about the Coffee County economy

What is the unemployment rate in Coffee County, Georgia?

Coffee County’s unemployment rate was 3.6% in July 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The statewide Georgia rate for the same month was 3.3%.

What is the median household income in Coffee County?

The median household income in Coffee County is $50,175, based on the 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

What is the largest industry in Coffee County?

By private-sector employment, the largest industry in Coffee County is Manufacturing, with about 3,786 jobs in 2025 (BLS QCEW annual average).

What is the median home value in Coffee County?

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Coffee County is $125,700 (2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates). Median gross rent is $713 per month.

About this data

Unemployment, employment and labor-force figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, which produces monthly estimates for every U.S. county by combining the national Current Population Survey with state unemployment-insurance claims and payroll data. County figures are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with seasonal patterns such as harvests, school calendars and holiday hiring — compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the previous month. The most recent month is preliminary and is revised the following month.

Population, income, home value and rent come from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, which pool five years of survey responses to produce reliable figures for small counties. Jobs and wages by industry come from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), a near-complete count of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, reported by where people work rather than where they live. See About & methodology for more.

Georgia counties with similar unemployment