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.

Alaska

Employment snapshot

• In August, Alaska added 1,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Alaska added 600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Alaska added 4,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 4.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, or 0.1 percent. Alaska is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, Alaska’s private sector added 400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 6,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Alaska added 600 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Alaska fell by 823, and over the past 12 months it rose by 1,798.

• Alaska’s labor force participation rate fell to 65.5 percent in August from 65.7 percent and ranks 9th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Alaska

Payroll employment

• Alaska added 1,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Alaska added 600 jobs. Alaska 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. Alaska is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Alaska added 400 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Alaska added 600 jobs. Alaska private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 127,000 jobs in August, or 0.1 percent. Alaska ranks 1st 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 State and Local Government (+600) and Manufacturing (+300).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-200) and Professional and Business Services (-200).

From August 2025 to August 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+2,100) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,800).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-1,500) and State and Local Government (-400).

Alaska

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 Alaska fell to 65.5 percent in August from 65.7 percent in the prior month.

• Alaska ranks 9th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Alaska was 66.2 percent occurring in February 2017, and the 10-year low was 61.7 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 61.6 percent in August.