March 2026 | Released May 06, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 14, rose in 10, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.3 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 35 states and fell in 15. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Tennessee. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Hawaii, Montana, and Oregon.

Alabama

Employment snapshot

• In March, Alabama added 1,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.7 percent. In the prior month, Alabama lost 200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Alabama added 9,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Alabama is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, Alabama’s private sector added 1,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 7,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Alabama lost 700 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in Alabama fell by 2,966, and over the past 12 months it rose by 11,027.

• Alabama’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.5 percent in March and ranks 48th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.

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Alabama

Payroll employment

• Alabama added 1,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. 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 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Alabama is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Alabama added 1,500 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Alabama lost 700 jobs. Alabama private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, 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 February 2026 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+1,800) and Leisure and Hospitality (+600).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-500) and Manufacturing (-400).

From March 2025 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+8,000) and Leisure and Hospitality (+5,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-5,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,600).

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 remained unchanged at 57.5 percent in March.

• 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 61.9 percent in March.