Population: 10,215,000
2016 job growth: 3.0 percent
New jobs in 2016: 128,030
Unemployment rate by year-end 2016: 5.5 percent
Largest company in state: Home Depot
According to Michael Wald of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Georgia's laissez-faire approach to business has hurt the state, contributing to high unemployment rates. The high unemployment rate may come as a surprise since there are so many successful companies headquartered within the state including Coca-Cola, UPS, and Home Depot. However, according to Kiplinger, Georgia will be getting a boost to its economy as Dollar General, Papa Johns, Polymer Logistics, and Schorr Packaging all expand within the state. The tech industry's presence in Atlanta will also help the state's job growth rate in coming years.