Nine companies relocated or expanded in Alpharetta over nine months ending in April 2026, adding more than 1,200 jobs and over $33 million in capital investment as Georgia posted a record year for economic development.
Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Economic Development said Thursday, Sept. 3, that 436 projects brought an estimated 25,300 new private-sector jobs and roughly $35.2 billion in new investment to the state during fiscal year 2026. Metro Atlanta's share tops $5.3 billion, according to WSB-TV.
The numbers mark a second consecutive record.
Existing companies drove the bulk of the activity. Expansions accounted for 79% of the 436 projects, adding about 15,370 jobs and $24.7 billion in investment. The state said it helped retain more than 90,000 existing jobs during the same period.
"The greatest vote of confidence is a company choosing to expand their existing operations in our state, and that decision made up the vast majority of projects this past fiscal year," Kemp said, according to The Center Square.
Statewide, the state expects more than 3,790 new jobs from corporate headquarters, software, technology and other support-service projects. Companies planning to relocate or expand headquarters in Georgia announced more than $225 million in investment.
Alpharetta's corporate streak
Alpharetta's nine projects over the stretch ending in April 2026 included six corporate relocations, five of them headquarters moves, according to the city's economic development department. All six came from elsewhere in metro Atlanta.
Hisense moved its U.S. headquarters to Alpharetta's Windward Tech District in January 2026, bringing about 200 employees. ACCIONA opened its U.S. Infrastructure Division headquarters in Alpharetta in November 2025, housing more than 60 professionals working on the SR 400 Express Lanes Project. Other firms that chose Alpharetta include 5Q, Ansell, Kawneer and Kloeckner Metals. Together, the relocating companies leased more than 155,000 square feet of office space.
International companies were a significant driver locally. Firms headquartered in Europe, Asia and Australia selected Alpharetta as their U.S. headquarters or innovation hub, according to the city.
That local pattern mirrors the statewide trend. Jobs from international companies more than doubled compared with the prior fiscal year, with international firms accounting for more than 9,350 new jobs and $7.8 billion in investment across Georgia. South Korea, Italy, Belgium, Canada and France were the top international sources of job creation, according to the state.
Rankings and recognition
Metro Atlanta ranked No. 3 in Site Selection's 2026 North American Tech Hub Index, with Alpharetta's economic development office citing the city's role in that momentum in a February post on X.
Mayor Jim Gilvin, speaking Aug. 20 when the city's economic development department won two awards from the International Economic Development Council, said the department's marketing work does a strong job communicating why businesses and talent choose Alpharetta.
About 75% of the state's expansion and new-location projects landed outside the 10-county metro Atlanta region. State Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said the investments strengthen local tax bases and give communities resources to build stronger futures for residents. Manufacturing accounted for 67% of new jobs statewide, with automotive, life sciences and food processing making up 27% of total job creation.
Alpharetta's recent corporate growth spread across several employment districts: four projects in the Windward District, three in the Sanctuary Park/Founders area and additional investments in Great Oaks and Tradewinds.
