Wheeler County, Georgia Economy

Wheeler County economy at a glance

Wheeler County’s unemployment rate was 2.7% in July 2026, 0.6 percentage points below the Georgia rate of 3.3% (U.S.: 4.1%). That ranks Wheeler 8th lowest among Georgia’s 159 counties — in the top tenth statewide. A year earlier it was 3.6%, so unemployment has fallen by 0.9 points over the past twelve months. Since 1990 the county’s rate has ranged from 1.9% (April 2022) to 17.2% (August 2010).

Wheeler County had a civilian labor force of 2,770 people in July 2026, of whom 2,696 were employed and 74 were unemployed and looking for work. The labor force grew 3.0% from a year earlier, and the number of employed residents rose by 104.

With an estimated population of 7,434, Wheeler is the 143rd most populous county in Georgia. Its median household income of $45,262 is 19% below the median for Georgia counties ($55,714) and ranks 136th of 159. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $74,600, about 1.6 times the median household income. 69% of households own their home, and renters pay a median gross rent of $551 a month.

According to the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers in Wheeler County had about 731 jobs on average in 2025, with another 306 in federal, state and local government. The largest private sector is Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, with 89 jobs (12% of private employment). The highest-paying major sector is Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, averaging $1,145 a week. The average private-sector weekly wage is $987, the 66th highest among Georgia counties.