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Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 9 metropolitan areas over the year ending August 2026

October 14, 2026

From August 2025 to August 2026, nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 9 metropolitan areas, decreased in 5 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 373 areas.

12-month percent change in nonfarm employment by metropolitan area, statistically significant gains and losses, August 2025 to August 2026, not seasonally adjusted
Metropolitan areaPercent changeEmployment change
Baton Rouge, LA3.213,700
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC3.25,100
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT2.520,900
Wichita, KS2.37,200
Raleigh-Cary, NC2.217,200
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA1.618,500
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC1.521,400
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI1.427,800
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX1.344,700
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA-1.5-18,800
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV-2.0-66,000
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ-3.1-5,800
Flagstaff, AZ-3.6-2,600
Bloomington, IN-5.9-4,800

The largest statistically significant over-the-year percentage gains in employment occurred in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (+3.2 percent each), followed by Salt Lake City-Murray, Utah (+2.5 percent) and Wichita, Kansas (+2.3 percent).

The largest statistically significant over-the-year percentage decline occurred in employment occurred in Bloomington, Indiana (−5.9 percent), followed by Flagstaff, Arizona (−3.6 percent), and Atlantic City-Hammonton, New Jersey (−3.1 percent).

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics (State and Metro Area) program and are not seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment — August 2026." We also have charts related to the latest "Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment" news release.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 9 metropolitan areas over the year ending August 2026 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2026/nonfarm-payroll-employment-increased-in-9-metropolitan-areas-over-the-year-ending-august-2026.htm (visited October 14, 2026).