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The number and rate of job openings increased to 7.6 million (+731,000) and 4.6 percent, respectively, in April 2026. The number of job openings in professional and business services increased by 668,000, while openings in finance and insurance decreased by 135,000.

In 2025, 5.7 percent of the nation's 85.9 million families included an unemployed person. Of these 4.9 million families with at least one unemployed family member, 71.8 percent also had at least one employed family member and 63.2 percent had a member employed full time.

The four industries that are projected to have the fastest growth in employment from 2024 to 2034 are tied to renewable energy generation. These industries include solar electric power generation, which is projected to grow 180.2 percent (30,400 jobs), and wind electric power generation, which is projected to grow 81.4 percent (9,200 jobs).

Unemployment rates were higher in April than a year earlier in 200 of the 387 metropolitan areas, lower in 152 areas, and unchanged in 35 areas. A total of 70 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 8 areas had rates of at least 8.0 percent.