State Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, June 23, 2026	                                   USDL-26-1019

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 - MAY 2026


Unemployment rates were lower in May in 6 states, higher in 2 states, and stable in 42 states
and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sixteen
states had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 6 states had decreases, and 28 states
and the District had little change. The national unemployment rate, 4.3 percent, was unchanged
both over the month and over the year.

In May, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 2 states and was essentially unchanged in 48 
states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in
2 states, decreased in 1 state and the District, and was essentially unchanged in 47 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 May, 2.1 percent. The District of Columbia had the
highest unemployment rate, 6.1 percent. The next highest rate was in California, 5.3 percent.
In total, 18 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.3 percent, 7 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 May, six states had unemployment rate decreases: Delaware, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island,
and South Carolina (-0.2 percentage point each) and South Dakota (-0.1 point). Two states had
rate increases: Alabama and Kentucky (+0.2 percentage point each). The remaining 42 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.)

Sixteen states had unemployment rate increases from May 2025, the largest of which were in 
Connecticut (+1.3 percentage points) and Florida (+1.1 points). Six states had over-the-year 
rate decreases, the largest of which was in Ohio (-1.0 percentage point). Twenty-eight 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 C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment

In May 2026, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 2 states and was essentially unchanged in 
48 states and the District of Columbia. The job gains occurred in North Carolina (+17,400, or 
+0.3 percent) and West Virginia (+9,700, or +1.4 percent). (See tables D and 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 2 states, decreased in 1 state and the 
District of Columbia, and was essentially unchanged in 47 states. Employment increased in 
North Carolina (+61,800, or +1.2 percent) and Nevada (+29,200, or +1.8 percent). The job 
losses occurred in Virginia (-52,200, or -1.2 percent) and the District (-40,300, or -5.3 
percent). (See table E.) 

_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for May 2026 is scheduled to 
be published on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and 
Unemployment news release for June 2026 is scheduled to be published on Tuesday, July 21,
2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). 


Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., May 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................|           4.3
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           3.0
California ..........................|           5.3
Delaware ............................|           5.1
District of Columbia ................|           6.1
Georgia .............................|           3.4
Hawaii ..............................|           2.5
Idaho ...............................|           3.7
Illinois ............................|           5.1
Indiana .............................|           3.3
Iowa ................................|           3.2
                                     |
Maine ...............................|           3.1
Michigan ............................|           5.1
Montana .............................|           3.4
Nebraska ............................|           3.0
Nevada ..............................|           5.2
New Hampshire .......................|           3.0
North Carolina ......................|           3.7
North Dakota ........................|           2.4
Oregon ..............................|           5.2
South Dakota ........................|           2.1
                                     |
Tennessee ...........................|           3.6
Utah ................................|           3.7
Vermont .............................|           2.6
Washington ..........................|           5.2
Wisconsin ...........................|           3.4
Wyoming .............................|           3.4
--------------------------------------------------------------
   (1) Data are not preliminary.
   (p) = preliminary.


Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from April 2026 to May 2026, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
             State              |   April   |    May    |    change(p)
                                |   2026    |  2026(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................|     2.8   |     3.0   |       0.2
Delaware .......................|     5.3   |     5.1   |       -.2
Kentucky .......................|     4.3   |     4.5   |        .2
Massachusetts ..................|     4.7   |     4.5   |       -.2
Ohio ...........................|     3.9   |     3.7   |       -.2
Rhode Island ...................|     4.5   |     4.3   |       -.2
South Carolina .................|     4.8   |     4.6   |       -.2
South Dakota ...................|     2.2   |     2.1   |       -.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from May 2025 to May 2026, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------|  Over-the-year
             State              |   May     |    May    |    change(p)
                                |   2025    |  2026(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ........................|     4.3   |     4.8   |       0.5
California .....................|     5.5   |     5.3   |       -.2
Connecticut ....................|     3.8   |     5.1   |       1.3
Delaware .......................|     4.5   |     5.1   |        .6
Florida ........................|     3.7   |     4.8   |       1.1
Illinois .......................|     4.4   |     5.1   |        .7
Indiana ........................|     3.7   |     3.3   |       -.4
Iowa ...........................|     3.6   |     3.2   |       -.4
Maryland .......................|     4.0   |     4.4   |        .4
Minnesota ......................|     3.7   |     4.4   |        .7
                                |           |           |
New Jersey .....................|     5.2   |     4.7   |       -.5
New Mexico .....................|     4.0   |     4.9   |        .9
New York .......................|     4.2   |     4.6   |        .4
North Dakota ...................|     2.6   |     2.4   |       -.2
Ohio ...........................|     4.7   |     3.7   |      -1.0
Oklahoma .......................|     3.1   |     4.1   |       1.0
South Carolina .................|     4.3   |     4.6   |        .3
Texas ..........................|     4.1   |     4.3   |        .2
Virginia .......................|     3.3   |     3.8   |        .5
Washington .....................|     4.5   |     5.2   |        .7
West Virginia ..................|     4.0   |     4.3   |        .3
Wisconsin ......................|     3.1   |     3.4   |        .3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
April 2026 to May 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             | Over-the-month change(p)
            State             |    April    |     May     |---------------------------
                              |    2026     |    2026(p)  |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Carolina ...............|   5,101,500 |   5,118,900 |      17,400 |     0.3
West Virginia ................|     717,500 |     727,200 |       9,700 |     1.4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
May 2025 to May 2026, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             |  Over-the-year change(p)
            State             |     May     |     May     |---------------------------
                              |     2025    |    2026(p)  |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
District of Columbia .........|     758,400 |     718,100 |     -40,300 |    -5.3
Nevada .......................|   1,580,100 |   1,609,300 |      29,200 |     1.8
North Carolina ...............|   5,057,100 |   5,118,900 |      61,800 |     1.2
Virginia .....................|   4,289,400 |   4,237,200 |     -52,200 |    -1.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.