Jeffrey Humphreys

Economy: Silver Linings

This year, I expect Georgia’s post-pandemic expansion to end and a mild recession to begin, which will last about six months. A recession is not inevitable, but it would take near-perfect monetary policy plus a lucky break to avoid one.…

Economy: Hinesville’s Quick Recovery

Thanks to Fort Stewart, the Hinesville metropolitan statistical area’s (MSA) economy performed well during the pandemic recession and recovered quickly. From peak-to-trough, Hinesville lost 9% of its jobs, which is much smaller than the 13% loss posted by the state…

Economy: Valdosta’s Positive Prospects

From its 2020 peak-to-trough the Valdosta metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which includes Brooks, Echols, Lanier and Lowndes counties, lost about 10% of its jobs to the COVID-19 recession. The heaviest losses were in government and high-contact service industries such as…

Economy: Brunswick’s Strengths

From its 2020 peak-to-trough, the Brunswick metropolitan statistical area (MSA) – Brantley, Glynn and McIntosh counties – lost 19.2% of its jobs to the COVID-19 recession. The heaviest losses were in leisure and hospitality and state government. Because the Brunswick…

Economy: Athens Rising

From its 2020 peak to trough, the Athens metropolitan statistical area (MSA) lost 13.7% of its jobs to the COVID-19 recession. The city is recovering slowly. By November 2021, it had reversed only 71% of its job losses compared to…

Economy: Positive Outlook

The 2022 economic forecast for Georgia is positive and the pattern of slightly faster economic recovery for the state than for the U.S. will continue. Last year, I predicted that Georgia’s economic recovery would occur in three distinct phases: an…

Economy: Jobs Recovery

Georgia will fully recover the jobs lost to the COVID-19 recession much faster than it recovered jobs lost to either the 2001 recession or the Great Recession. Of course, the jobless recoveries that followed those recessions set a low bar.…

2021 Industry Outlook

While the COVID-19 pandemic seriously damaged Georgia’s economy last year, the state fared better than the nation, and many forces are at work that will sustain economic recovery throughout 2021. In fact, the forecast calls for Georgia’s inflation-adjusted gross domestic…