For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, July 21, 2026 USDL-26-1256
Technical information:
Employment: (202) 691-6559 * sminfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/sae
Unemployment: (202) 691-6392 * lausinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/lau
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT - JUNE 2026
Unemployment rates were lower in June in 8 states, higher in 2 states, and stable in 40 states and
the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirteen states had
jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 7 states had decreases, and 30 states and the District
had little change. The national unemployment rate, 4.2 percent, changed little both over the month
and over the year.
In June, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 3 states, decreased in 1, and was essentially
unchanged in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment
increased in 4 states, decreased in 1 state and the District, and was essentially unchanged in 45
states.
This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian labor force and
unemployment data are modeled based largely on a survey of households. These data pertain to
people by where they reside. The employment data are from an establishment survey that
measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry. These data pertain to jobs on
payrolls defined by where the establishments are located. For more information about the
concepts and statistical methodologies used by these two programs, see the Technical Note.
Unemployment
South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in June, 2.0 percent. The District of Columbia had the
highest unemployment rate, 6.0 percent. In total, 17 states had unemployment rates lower than the
U.S. figure of 4.2 percent, 8 states and the District had higher rates, and 25 states had rates
that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
In June, eight states had unemployment rate decreases: Delaware, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and
Wyoming (-0.2 percentage point each) and Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania (-0.1
point each). Two states had rate increases: Alabama and Kentucky (+0.2 percentage point each). The
remaining 40 states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different
from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as
the significant changes. (See table B.)
Thirteen states had unemployment rate increases from June 2025, the largest of which were in
Connecticut (+1.3 percentage points) and Oklahoma (+1.0 point). Seven states had over-the-year rate
decreases, the largest of which was in Ohio (-1.0 percentage point). Thirty states and the District
of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a year earlier. (See
table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
In June 2026, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 3 states, decreased in 1, and was essentially
unchanged in 46 states and the District of Columbia. The job gains occurred in Texas (+43,400, or
+0.3 percent), Minnesota (+13,200, or +0.4 percent), and New Hampshire (+4,500, or +0.6 percent).
Employment decreased in West Virginia (-9,100, or -1.2 percent). (See tables D and 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 4 states, decreased in 1 state and the
District of Columbia, and was essentially unchanged in 45 states. Employment increased in Texas
(+177,900, or +1.2 percent), North Carolina (+62,900, or +1.2 percent), Minnesota (+45,900, or +1.5
percent), and Nevada (+36,700, or +2.3 percent). The job losses occurred in Virginia (-43,600, or
-1.0 percent) and the District (-36,100, or -4.8 percent). (See table E.)
_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for June 2026 is scheduled to be
published on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and Unemployment
news release for July 2026 is scheduled to be published on Friday, August 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
(ET).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| 2026 Preliminary Benchmark Revision to Establishment Survey Data |
| to be Published on August 28, 2026 |
| |
| Each year, Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates are benchmarked to comprehensive |
| counts of employment from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). These counts |
| are derived from state unemployment insurance (UI) tax records that nearly all employers |
| are required to file. As part of the benchmark process for benchmark year 2026, |
| census-derived employment counts replace CES payroll employment estimates for all 50 |
| states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and about 430 |
| metropolitan areas and divisions for the period from April 2025 to September 2026. |
| |
| The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release first-quarter 2026 data from the QCEW on |
| August 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). At the same time, BLS will publish preliminary |
| benchmark revisions for March 2026 for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select |
| metropolitan areas at the total nonfarm level. The final benchmark revisions for all state |
| and metropolitan area series will be issued with the publication of the January 2027 State |
| Employment and Unemployment news release in March 2027. |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________________|
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., June 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 4.2
|
Alabama .............................| 3.2
California ..........................| 5.2
Connecticut .........................| 5.2
District of Columbia ................| 6.0
Florida .............................| 4.7
Georgia .............................| 3.4
Hawaii ..............................| 2.6
Illinois ............................| 5.1
Indiana .............................| 3.3
Iowa ................................| 3.2
|
Maine ...............................| 3.1
Michigan ............................| 5.0
Montana .............................| 3.3
Nebraska ............................| 2.9
Nevada ..............................| 5.1
New Hampshire .......................| 2.9
North Carolina ......................| 3.6
North Dakota ........................| 2.3
Ohio ................................| 3.6
Oregon ..............................| 5.2
|
South Dakota ........................| 2.0
Tennessee ...........................| 3.5
Vermont .............................| 2.6
Washington ..........................| 5.2
Wisconsin ...........................| 3.3
Wyoming .............................| 3.2
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from May 2026 to June 2026, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | May | June | change(p)
| 2026 | 2026(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 3.0 | 3.2 | 0.2
Delaware .......................| 5.1 | 4.9 | -.2
Kentucky .......................| 4.5 | 4.7 | .2
Massachusetts ..................| 4.5 | 4.4 | -.1
North Dakota ...................| 2.4 | 2.3 | -.1
Ohio ...........................| 3.7 | 3.6 | -.1
Pennsylvania ...................| 4.2 | 4.1 | -.1
Rhode Island ...................| 4.3 | 4.1 | -.2
South Carolina .................| 4.6 | 4.4 | -.2
Wyoming ........................| 3.4 | 3.2 | -.2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from June 2025 to June 2026, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | June | June | change(p)
| 2025 | 2026(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 2.9 | 3.2 | 0.3
Arizona ........................| 4.3 | 4.9 | .6
California .....................| 5.5 | 5.2 | -.3
Connecticut ....................| 3.9 | 5.2 | 1.3
Florida ........................| 3.8 | 4.7 | .9
Hawaii .........................| 2.3 | 2.6 | .3
Illinois .......................| 4.3 | 5.1 | .8
Indiana ........................| 3.7 | 3.3 | -.4
Iowa ...........................| 3.5 | 3.2 | -.3
Minnesota ......................| 3.8 | 4.4 | .6
| | |
Missouri .......................| 4.0 | 3.7 | -.3
New Jersey .....................| 5.4 | 4.5 | -.9
New Mexico .....................| 4.0 | 4.8 | .8
New York .......................| 4.3 | 4.6 | .3
North Dakota ...................| 2.6 | 2.3 | -.3
Ohio ...........................| 4.6 | 3.6 | -1.0
Oklahoma .......................| 3.2 | 4.2 | 1.0
Texas ..........................| 4.1 | 4.4 | .3
Virginia .......................| 3.2 | 3.7 | .5
Washington .....................| 4.5 | 5.2 | .7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
May 2026 to June 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | May | June |---------------------------
| 2026 | 2026(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minnesota ....................| 3,055,700 | 3,068,900 | 13,200 | 0.4
New Hampshire ................| 701,000 | 705,500 | 4,500 | .6
Texas ........................| 14,426,200 | 14,469,600 | 43,400 | .3
West Virginia ................| 728,300 | 719,200 | -9,100 | -1.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
June 2025 to June 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | June | June |---------------------------
| 2025 | 2026(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
District of Columbia .........| 756,900 | 720,800 | -36,100 | -4.8
Minnesota ....................| 3,023,000 | 3,068,900 | 45,900 | 1.5
Nevada .......................| 1,577,400 | 1,614,100 | 36,700 | 2.3
North Carolina ...............| 5,052,500 | 5,115,400 | 62,900 | 1.2
Texas ........................| 14,291,700 | 14,469,600 | 177,900 | 1.2
Virginia .....................| 4,287,300 | 4,243,700 | -43,600 | -1.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
United States Department of Labor
