State desk
Ranks 14th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Georgia stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 15 Georgia outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Georgia in red. Free to cite with attribution.
No permit required to carry a concealed handgun since 2022; optional weapons-carry licenses remain available.
Georgia is 1 of 29 states with this rule
15 · Shall-Issue Permit6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Georgia taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 5.19 percent, ranking 21 of 41 among the states that tax income. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Georgia is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Georgia charges 34.05 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 17 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 52.45 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 38.05 cents.
Georgia is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Retains the death penalty.
Georgia is 1 of 23 states with this rule
4 · Retains it, executions paused23 · Abolished
Right-to-work by statute since 1947.
Georgia is 1 of 26 states with this rule
24 · No Right-to-Work Law
State law sets $5.15, below the federal floor, so covered employers must pay $7.25.
Georgia is 1 of 3 states with this rule
30 · Above the Federal Floor12 · Matches the Federal Floor5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
Voters must show an accepted photo ID; without one, a provisional ballot counts only if they verify identity within days.
Georgia is 1 of 10 states with this rule
14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)14 · No Document Required
Georgia Promise ESA (2024) targets low-income students in low-performing schools, plus a tax-credit scholarship.
Georgia is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal17 · No Private-Choice Program
NCSL lists Georgia among states recognizing, by statute or court case, that there is no duty to retreat in any place where a person is lawfully present. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Georgia is 1 of 31 states with this rule
7 · Recognized by Court Decision12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot by mail without giving a reason.
Georgia is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Georgia's unemployment rate was 3.3% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, up 0.1 percentage points from 3.2% in August. It ranks 11th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), down from 8th. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 3.4%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Georgia is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court