Georgia Coverage Area

ArcBest^® has locations throughout Georgia, allowing us to fulfill any request. We have the ability to ship to or pick up from any point in the state and can provide the transportation and logistics services your business needs. Call 800-610-5544 to learn more about our services, and get information about booking your shipments.

Economic Facts

• Population — 10,214,860 in 2015
• Projected job growth — 2.6 percent
• Unemployment rate — 6.3 percent as of April 2015
• Sales tax rate — 4 percent
• Top income tax rate — 6 percent as of 2016
   

Georgia’s Business Environment

A low tax rate, competitive business environment, good technology infrastructure, quality labor pool and affordable cost of living help Georgia consistently rank among the best states in the country to do business. The state — its capital of Atlanta, in particular — is considered an important location on the global economic scale because of its prime location. Georgia is a pathway to major shipping hubs, which facilitates easy global access and allows businesses to reach 80 percent of the U.S. population within a two-day truck drive.

Economic Makeup

Georgia’s position in the global marketplace is good for business, as 18 Fortune 500 companies and 26 Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered in the state. Agriculture and transportation largely drive the economy, with other segments such as tourism and manufacturing also playing important roles.

Agriculture

Agriculture accounts for $72 billion of the state’s economy annually, with one in seven Georgians working in agriculture, forestry or a related field. Despite being known as “The Peach State,” the state is actually the country’s top producer of sweet potatoes, pecans and peanuts, and ranks third in peach production behind California and South Carolina.

Manufacturing

Textiles and automobile assembly lead the state’s manufacturing sector, along with the production of processed foods, soft drinks and baked goods. Several international companies have assembly plants in the state.

Military

Revenue is also seen from federal national security jobs with military bases and government offices providing numerous jobs. The state is home to 11 military installations, including Fort Benning, which alone supports more than 120,000 jobs.

Tourism

With attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, Stone Mountain, Zoo Atlanta, professional sports team stadiums and several national historic sites, tourism is a major economic driver for Georgia’s economy. The industry provides nearly $61 billion in revenue annually and supports almost 500,000 jobs.

Transportation Network

Georgia is home to the world’s busiest airport and one of the most traveled interstate highways in the country. With more than 1,200 miles of interstate highways, more than 120 airports, a major railway hub and a large seaport system, the state offers businesses plenty of options to choose from to get their goods where they need to be.

Highway and Interstate System

Georgia has nine interstate highways, including Interstate 285 — one of the nation’s most traveled interstates. I-285 circles Atlanta and accommodates nearly 2 million drivers a day. The state also has a vast network of state and county roadways. It’s estimated that more than $620 billion worth of cargo move on roads throughout the state each year.

Freight Rail System

Georgia has an extensive freight rail system, with about 5,000 miles of track transporting more than 196 million tons of freight a year. The state has an estimated 3,631 miles of mainline Class I freight rail tracks with an additional 1,012 miles of short line tracks.

Airports

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest airport and supports nearly 100 million passengers a year. The airport offers service to more than 150 destinations in the U.S. and nearly 70 international destinations. The airport in Atlanta also has three cargo complexes that permit that handling and processing of more than 650,000 tons of cargo a year. It’s estimated the airport generates nearly $23.5 billion in revenue to the state annually.

Seaports

Georgia is also a good location for transporting freight by sea. The Georgia Port Authority services two major ports in Brunswick and the Port of Savannah —  the fourth-largest and fastest-growing container seaport in North America and the largest single-container port facility in the United States  — and two inland ports in Bainbridge and Columbus. The port authority system supports more than 390,000 jobs and contributes a little more than 20 billion in revenue annually.