April 2026

Released May 22, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in North Dakota.

Alabama

Employment snapshot

• In April, Alabama added 4,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 2.8 percent. In the prior month, Alabama added 2,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Alabama added 13,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 2.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Alabama is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Alabama’s private sector added 3,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 8,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Alabama added 2,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Alabama fell by 7,320, and over the past 12 months it rose by 3,579.

• Alabama’s labor force participation rate fell to 57.3 percent in April from 57.5 percent and ranks 48th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.4 percentage points.

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Alabama

Payroll employment

• Alabama added 4,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Alabama added 2,400 jobs. Alabama nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Alabama is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Alabama added 3,400 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Alabama added 2,200 jobs. Alabama private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Alabama is tied for 15th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From March 2026 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+1,300) and Other Services (+1,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-400) and Information (-200).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+9,800) and Leisure and Hospitality (+4,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-5,200) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,800).

Alabama

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Alabama fell to 57.3 percent in April from 57.5 percent in the prior month.

• Alabama ranks 48th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Alabama was 57.8 percent occurring in February 2019, and the 10-year low was 55.4 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.8 percent in April.