State Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, May 6, 2026	                               USDL-26-0685

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 -- MARCH 2026
                        

Unemployment rates were little changed in March in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Fourteen states had jobless rate increases from a
year earlier, 2 states had decreases, and 34 states and the District had little change. The 
national unemployment rate, 4.3 percent, changed little over the month and from March 2025.

In March 2026, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 3 states and was essentially unchanged in 47
states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 3 
states and the District, increased in 3 states, and was essentially unchanged in 44 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 March, 2.3 percent, followed by Hawaii, 2.4 percent,
and North Dakota, 2.5 percent. The District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate, 6.3
percent. The next highest rate was in Delaware, 5.4 percent, followed by California and Nevada, 5.3
percent each. In total, 17 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.3 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 March, unemployment rates were little changed from a month earlier in all 50 states and the 
District of Columbia. 

Fourteen states had unemployment rate increases from March 2025, the largest of which were in 
Connecticut and Florida (+1.1 percentage points each). The only over-the-year rate decreases were
in Ohio (-0.7 percentage point) and Indiana (-0.4 point). Thirty-four states and the District of 
Columbia 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 B.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment

In March 2026, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 3 states and was essentially unchanged in 47
states and the District of Columbia. Employment increased in Texas (+46,800, or +0.3 percent), 
Florida (+28,100, or +0.3 percent), and Tennessee (+12,100, or +0.4 percent). (See tables C and 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 3 states and the District of Columbia, 
increased in 3 states, and was essentially unchanged in 44 states. Employment decreased in Maryland
(-49,900, or -1.8 percent), the District (-40,300, or -5.3 percent), Oregon (-21,900, or -1.1 
percent), and Iowa (-20,700, or -1.3 percent). The job gains occurred in California (+144,700, or
+0.8 percent), Texas (+117,200, or +0.8 percent), and Nevada (+28,700, or +1.8 percent). (See 
table D.) 

_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be 
released on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and Unemployment news
release for April is scheduled to be released on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). 


Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., March 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................|           4.3
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           2.7
California ..........................|           5.3
Delaware ............................|           5.4
District of Columbia ................|           6.3
Georgia .............................|           3.5
Hawaii ..............................|           2.4
Idaho ...............................|           3.6
Illinois ............................|           5.1
Indiana .............................|           3.3
Iowa ................................|           3.3
                                     |
Maine ...............................|           3.2
Michigan ............................|           5.0
Montana .............................|           3.6
Nebraska ............................|           3.1
Nevada ..............................|           5.3
New Hampshire .......................|           3.1
New Jersey ..........................|           4.9
North Carolina ......................|           3.7
North Dakota ........................|           2.5
Oregon ..............................|           5.2
                                     |
South Dakota ........................|           2.3
Tennessee ...........................|           3.6
Vermont .............................|           2.6
Washington ..........................|           5.1
Wisconsin ...........................|           3.5
Wyoming .............................|           3.6
--------------------------------------------------------------
   (1) Data are not preliminary.
   (p) = preliminary.


Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from March 2025 to March 2026, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------|  Over-the-year
             State              |   March   |   March   |    change(p)
                                |   2025    |  2026(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connecticut ....................|     3.7   |     4.8   |       1.1
Delaware .......................|     4.4   |     5.4   |       1.0
Florida ........................|     3.6   |     4.7   |       1.1
Illinois .......................|     4.6   |     5.1   |        .5
Indiana ........................|     3.7   |     3.3   |       -.4
Maryland .......................|     3.7   |     4.3   |        .6
Minnesota ......................|     3.6   |     4.5   |        .9
Montana ........................|     3.1   |     3.6   |        .5
New Mexico .....................|     4.1   |     4.8   |        .7
New York .......................|     4.1   |     4.6   |        .5
                                |           |           |
Ohio ...........................|     4.8   |     4.1   |       -.7
Oklahoma .......................|     3.1   |     3.9   |        .8
South Carolina .................|     4.2   |     4.9   |        .7
Virginia .......................|     3.3   |     3.8   |        .5
Washington .....................|     4.5   |     5.1   |        .6
West Virginia ..................|     3.9   |     4.5   |        .6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table C. States with statistically significant employment changes from
February 2026 to March 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             | Over-the-month change(p)
            State             |   February  |    March    |---------------------------
                              |     2026    |    2026(p)  |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Florida ......................|   9,965,100 |   9,993,200 |      28,100 |      0.3
Tennessee ....................|   3,366,800 |   3,378,900 |      12,100 |       .4
Texas ........................|  14,356,700 |  14,403,500 |      46,800 |       .3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
March 2025 to March 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             |  Over-the-year change(p)
            State             |    March    |    March    |---------------------------
                              |     2025    |    2026(p)  |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
California ...................|  18,009,500 |  18,154,200 |     144,700 |      0.8
District of Columbia .........|     760,600 |     720,300 |     -40,300 |     -5.3
Iowa .........................|   1,596,500 |   1,575,800 |     -20,700 |     -1.3
Maryland .....................|   2,842,800 |   2,792,900 |     -49,900 |     -1.8
Nevada .......................|   1,575,000 |   1,603,700 |      28,700 |      1.8
Oregon .......................|   1,984,300 |   1,962,400 |     -21,900 |     -1.1
Texas ........................|  14,286,300 |  14,403,500 |     117,200 |       .8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.