August 2026
Released September 18, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In August, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 28, rose in 4, and remained unchanged in 19.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in August.
In August, payroll jobs rose in 35 states and fell in 16. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Maryland.
Alabama
Employment snapshot
In August, Alabama added 5,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.4 percent. In the prior month, Alabama lost 200 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Alabama added 23,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 2.8 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, or 0.1 percent. Alabama is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In August, Alabama’s private sector added 5,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 18,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Alabama lost 400 net private payroll jobs.
In August, employment in Alabama fell by 4,386, and over the past 12 months it fell by 30,420.
Alabama’s labor force participation rate fell to 56.8 percent in August from 56.9 percent and ranks 48th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.
Alabama
Payroll employment
Alabama added 5,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Alabama lost 200 jobs. Alabama nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, or 0.1 percent. Alabama is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Alabama added 5,300 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Alabama lost 400 jobs. Alabama private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 127,000 jobs in August, or 0.1 percent. Alabama ranks 14th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From July 2026 to August 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+3,600) and Professional and Business Services (+1,700).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-800) and Construction (-700).
From August 2025 to August 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+10,300) and State and Local Government (+9,400).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-5,500) and Federal Government (-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 56.8 percent in August from 56.9 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 rose by 0.2 percentage points to 61.6 percent in August.