(Gwinnett County, GA., March 28, 2025) –– Partnership Gwinnett hosted its annual Economic Outlook on March 27, 2025, at The John C. Maxwell Leadership Center in Duluth. Now in its fifth consecutive year, the event welcomed more than 200 of Gwinnett’s top business leaders, regional site consultants, and economic development business partners for an in-depth study on the region’s economic forecast.
Presented by Gwinnett’s Community Improvement Districts (CID), Evermore CID, Gateway 85 CID, Gwinnett Place CID, Lilburn CID, Sugarloaf CID, the 2025 Economic Outlook featured a keynote presentation from Dr. Alfie Meek, Director of the Center for Economic Development Research at Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute. Dr. Meek provided attendees with expert insights into the current and projected state of the economy, analyzing key trends affecting both the local and national landscape.
“Our goal is for business leaders in Gwinnett to not only succeed but truly thrive,” said Andrew Hickey, Director of Economic Development at Partnership Gwinnett. “Georgia’s consistent ranking as the top state for business, combined with Gwinnett’s strong infrastructure and dynamic workforce, creates a powerful foundation for success. Today’s insights into the economic trends and opportunities ahead in 2025 will equip businesses with the strategic knowledge they need to stay competitive and drive sustained growth.”
During his presentation, Dr. Meek offered analyses of major trends impacting both the local and national economy. Meek’s outlook projected that inflation will remain high, and as such, the Federal Reserve will be limited in its ability to cut rates this year. The labor market will tighten as job growth remains focused in low-wage sectors, and the unemployment rate will rise slightly. Personal consumption will be driven by high-end consumer spending while low-wage consumers struggle with mounting debt and slow wage growth. He expects home construction to slow and for mortgage rates to remain relatively elevated. However, falling energy prices and fewer regulations will spur a recovery in U.S. manufacturing.
For the first time, Meek also provided an outlook for both Georgia and Atlanta, of which he sees performing better than the nation as a whole. Georgia should benefit from the national recovery in manufacturing and a burgeoning semiconductor sector as well as the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick. In Atlanta, logistics and health care will lead due to high demand and significant investment.
Partnership Gwinnett extends its sincere gratitude to this year’s sponsors, Gwinnett’s Community Improvement Districts (Evermore CID, Gateway 85 CID, Gwinnett Place CID, Lilburn CID, and Sugarloaf CID), Primerica, Gas South, Jackson EMC, Retire Wise, Integrity Staffing, and Georgia Power for their continued support of the Economic Outlook and their commitment to driving economic growth in Gwinnett County.
Partnership Gwinnett looks forward to building on the momentum generated by the 2025 Economic Outlook as it continues to collaborate with stakeholders to promote sustainable economic development in Gwinnett County.
For more information about Partnership Gwinnett and future events, visit www.PartnershipGwinnett.com.
