Prospects for Columbus

Although my 2026 economic forecasts for Georgia predict little or no job growth, I expect Columbus will see significant job growth, mostly because of its success in landing private-sector economic development projects. In addition, defense-friendly politics favor Fort Benning, the area’s largest employer.

BioTouch is expanding two existing facilities, creating 480 jobs over the next four years. JS Link is building a magnet manufacturing facility that will employ 520 when it opens in 2027. Sigma Stretch Film of Georgia is opening a facility in December, creating 100 full-time jobs. J.M. Smucker is investing $120 million in its bakery that will add 48 jobs to the 350 already there. And Amazon opened a delivery station in 2025 that supports 200 jobs.

In 2024, Sierra Pacific Industries opened a manufacturing facility in nearby Phenix City that will employ 300 new crew members this year, with aspirations of eventually reaching 500. Micromize has established its first semiconductor manufacturing facility in Columbus, creating around 20 jobs. Pratt & Whitney is investing $206 million to expand operations, which will create about 400 jobs by the end of 2028, including for engineers, mechanics and operators. In neighboring Harris County, Daesol Ausys Georgia – a key supplier to Kia, Hyundai and General Motors – opened a manufacturing facility in 2024, creating 140 jobs. Also in 2024, AFB International opened a pet food manufacturing facility in the Muscogee Technology Park, with the goal of creating about 100 jobs by the end of 2027.

Defense-friendly politics favor Fort Benning, the area’s largest employer.

Fort Benning, Columbus State University and Mercer University’s medical school are also promoting economic growth. About 45,000 military personnel, contractors and civilians work at Fort Benning, which has an annual economic impact of $4.75 billion. National recruitment trends should improve in 2026, which could boost the number of troops trained at the base. Fort Benning will continue to be an important driver of Columbus’ economy and an exceptional location for defense contractors, which should increase the high-skill jobs available. Veterans – who account for 12.7% of the region’s population compared to 6.1% of the U.S. population – also add to the workforce. Labor force availability is a factor when selecting sites for economic development projects.

Columbus derives larger-than-average shares of economic activity from financial activities and leisure and hospitality. Both loan growth and higher spending by consumers favor top-line growth for firms that provide financial activities, but due to greater efficiency, the number of jobs has not increased much. In 2026, consumer spending will grow more slowly than in 2025. Mortgage originations will be much lower than a few years ago. These shifts will restrain the growth of the financial services industry. Fortunately, Columbus’ insurance industry is not cyclical and therefore should provide solid support to the area’s economy. In contrast, the transactions processing industry is cyclical, but due to changes wrought by the pandemic, the volume of payments processed by the industry should remain high. About 70% of all U.S. financial transactions are processed through systems based in Georgia, and the industry is centered in Columbus and Atlanta.

Photo credit: choosecolumbusga.com

Columbus’ leisure and hospitality industry will continue to expand, but at a more moderate pace. Because there are so many interesting local attractions and increased attendance at events at Fort Benning, the prospects are better for leisure travel than for business travel. The fundamental drivers of business travel are mixed: The substitution of virtual meetings will discourage travel while revenue growth will encourage travel.

Columbus State University is a pillar of the local economy and a source of economic growth. In addition to the nearly 2,700 people the university employs, its annual crop of newly minted graduates increases the pool of talent available and will help attract high-tech businesses and spur entrepreneurial activity. Columbus State is also planning a center for advanced technologies that will focus on robotics, engineering and space science.

As of the second quarter of 2025, single-family home prices in the Columbus MSA were 57% above their pre-pandemic recession peak, which was the smallest percentage gain posted by any of Georgia’s metro areas. Georgia’s home prices rose by 70% over the same period. Slow population growth and a high home vacancy rate probably account for the relatively slow increase in home prices.

Columbus’ economy is not overly dependent on exports – 4.5% of GDP – and therefore is not especially vulnerable to sudden shifts in U.S. trade policies like high tariffs. The cost of living is low, homes are affordable, natural amenities abound and the quality of the workforce is improving.