September Unemployment: How Seven North Atlanta Cities Compare

September unemployment rates ranged from 2.5% in Brookhaven to 3.3% in Johns Creek across seven North Atlanta cities. Dunwoody, Brookhaven and Sandy Springs recorded monthly declines, while rates edged higher in Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell and Johns Creek.

The Georgia Department of Labor’s September 2026 estimates show that all seven cities had more employed residents than a year earlier.

City	September 2026	August 2026	September 2025
Brookhaven	2.5%	2.6%	2.6%
Sandy Springs	2.6%	2.7%	2.5%
Dunwoody	2.7%	2.9%	2.8%
Alpharetta	2.9%	2.8%	2.9%
Milton	2.9%	2.6%	2.7%
Roswell	3.0%	2.9%	2.7%
Johns Creek	3.3%	3.2%	3.1%

September figures are preliminary; earlier months are revised. Rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Dunwoody’s rate fell from 2.9% in August to 2.7% as its employed population increased by 183 and the number of unemployed residents dropped by 33, to 796. Compared with September 2025, the city had 510 more employed residents and four fewer unemployed residents.

Johns Creek’s workforce grew faster than its employed population over the year: the labor force increased by 808, while employment rose by 697. That left 111 more residents unemployed and lifted the rate from 3.1% to 3.3%.

These figures count people by where they live, wherever they work. Under the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ definitions, unemployment generally includes people without work who are available and actively looking, along with people awaiting recall from a temporary layoff.

Small monthly changes can reflect seasonal influences and should not be treated as a lasting hiring trend. The rates also do not measure pay, available hours or whether workers have found jobs matching their experience.