State Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, October 20, 2026                                  USDL-26-1603

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 - SEPTEMBER 2026


Unemployment rates were lower in September in 5 states and stable in 45 states and the District of 
Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty states and the District had 
jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 7 states had increases, and 23 states had little 
change. The national unemployment rate, 4.2 percent, changed little both over the month and over 
the year.

In September, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 2 states, decreased in 1 state, and was 
essentially unchanged in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, nonfarm payroll 
employment increased in 7 states, decreased in the District, and was essentially unchanged in 43 
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 September, 2.0 percent, followed by North Dakota, 2.2 
percent. The District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate, 5.6 percent. In total, 20 
states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.2 percent, 2 states and the District 
had higher rates, and 28 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the 
nation. (See tables A and 1.)

In September, five states had unemployment rates decreases: Maryland and New Hampshire (-0.2 
percentage point each) and Florida, Nevada, and Pennsylvania (-0.1 point each). Forty-five 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.)

Twenty states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from September 2025, the 
largest of which was in New Jersey (-1.3 percentage points). Seven states had over-the-year rate 
increases, the largest of which was in Connecticut (+0.9 percentage point). Twenty-three states had 
jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a year earlier, though some had changes 
that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment

In September 2026, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 2 states, decreased in 1 state, and was 
essentially unchanged in 47 states and the District of Columbia. The job gains occurred in New 
Jersey (+14,900, or +0.3 percent) and South Carolina (+12,500, or +0.5 percent). The only decrease 
occurred in Wisconsin (-13,700, or -0.4 percent). (See tables D and 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 7 states, decreased in the District of 
Columbia, and was essentially unchanged in 43 states. The largest job gains occurred in Texas 
(+154,300), California (+129,300), and North Carolina (+67,000). The largest percentage increases 
occurred in South Carolina (+2.3 percent), Louisiana (+1.8 percent), and Utah (+1.5 percent). The 
only job loss occurred in the District (-25,800, or -3.5 percent). (See table E.)

_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for September 2026 is scheduled to 
be published on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and 
Unemployment news release for October 2026 is scheduled to be published on Friday, November 20, 
2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). 


Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., September 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................|           4.2
                                     |
California ..........................|           5.1
District of Columbia ................|           5.6
Georgia .............................|           3.3
Hawaii ..............................|           2.8
Indiana .............................|           3.4
Iowa ................................|           3.2
Maine ...............................|           3.3
Michigan ............................|           5.0
Mississippi .........................|           3.3
Montana .............................|           3.1
                                     |
Nebraska ............................|           2.9
New Hampshire .......................|           2.6
North Carolina ......................|           3.4
North Dakota ........................|           2.2
Ohio ................................|           3.4
Pennsylvania ........................|           3.6
South Dakota ........................|           2.0
Tennessee ...........................|           3.4
Utah ................................|           3.5
Vermont .............................|           2.6
                                     |
Virginia ............................|           3.6
Wisconsin ...........................|           3.2
Wyoming .............................|           3.0
--------------------------------------------------------------
   (1) Data are not preliminary.
   (p) = preliminary.


Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from August 2026 to September 2026, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
             State              |  August   | September |    change(p)
                                |   2026    |  2026(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Florida ........................|     4.5   |     4.4   |      -0.1
Maryland .......................|     4.1   |     3.9   |       -.2
Nevada .........................|     4.8   |     4.7   |       -.1
New Hampshire ..................|     2.8   |     2.6   |       -.2
Pennsylvania ...................|     3.7   |     3.6   |       -.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from September 2025 to September 2026, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------|  Over-the-year
             State              | September | September |    change(p)
                                |   2025    |  2026(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................|     2.8   |     3.5   |       0.7
Alaska .........................|     4.7   |     4.3   |       -.4
Arizona ........................|     4.4   |     4.9   |        .5
Arkansas .......................|     4.2   |     3.9   |       -.3
California .....................|     5.5   |     5.1   |       -.4
Connecticut ....................|     4.2   |     5.1   |        .9
Delaware .......................|     5.2   |     4.6   |       -.6
District of Columbia ...........|     6.6   |     5.6   |      -1.0
Hawaii .........................|     2.1   |     2.8   |        .7
Maryland .......................|     4.3   |     3.9   |       -.4
                                |           |           |
Minnesota ......................|     4.1   |     4.5   |        .4
Mississippi ....................|     3.7   |     3.3   |       -.4
Missouri .......................|     3.9   |     3.6   |       -.3
Montana ........................|     3.5   |     3.1   |       -.4
Nevada .........................|     5.2   |     4.7   |       -.5
New Hampshire ..................|     3.2   |     2.6   |       -.6
New Jersey .....................|     5.5   |     4.2   |      -1.3
New Mexico .....................|     4.2   |     4.7   |        .5
New York .......................|     4.6   |     4.3   |       -.3
North Carolina .................|     3.9   |     3.4   |       -.5
                                |           |           |
North Dakota ...................|     2.6   |     2.2   |       -.4
Ohio ...........................|     4.3   |     3.4   |       -.9
Oklahoma .......................|     3.6   |     4.2   |        .6
Pennsylvania ...................|     4.4   |     3.6   |       -.8
Rhode Island ...................|     4.3   |     3.6   |       -.7
South Carolina .................|     4.7   |     4.0   |       -.7
West Virginia ..................|     4.5   |     4.0   |       -.5
Wyoming ........................|     3.4   |     3.0   |       -.4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
August 2026 to September 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             | Over-the-month change(p)
            State             |    August   |  September  |---------------------------
                              |     2026    |   2026(p)   |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Jersey ...................|   4,362,500 |   4,377,400 |      14,900 |      0.3
South Carolina ...............|   2,428,800 |   2,441,300 |      12,500 |       .5
Wisconsin ....................|   3,057,000 |   3,043,300 |     -13,700 |      -.4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
September 2025 to September 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             |  Over-the-year change(p)
            State             |  September  |  September  |---------------------------
                              |     2025    |   2026(p)   |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
California ...................|  18,022,300 |  18,151,600 |     129,300 |      0.7
District of Columbia .........|     745,700 |     719,900 |     -25,800 |     -3.5
Louisiana ....................|   1,988,200 |   2,024,200 |      36,000 |      1.8
Minnesota ....................|   3,028,200 |   3,065,000 |      36,800 |      1.2
North Carolina ...............|   5,061,000 |   5,128,000 |      67,000 |      1.3
South Carolina ...............|   2,386,100 |   2,441,300 |      55,200 |      2.3
Texas ........................|  14,307,000 |  14,461,300 |     154,300 |      1.1
Utah .........................|   1,770,700 |   1,797,000 |      26,300 |      1.5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.