May 2026

Released June 23, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 20, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 22.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.1 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 13. The largest payroll job percent increase was 1.4 percent in West Virginia. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Montana.

Arizona

Employment snapshot

• In May, Arizona added 2,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Arizona added 8,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arizona added 21,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Arizona is tied for 10th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, Arizona’s private sector added 3,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 22,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arizona added 7,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in Arizona fell by 16,293, and over the past 12 months it fell by 66,711.

• Arizona’s labor force participation rate fell to 60.7 percent in May from 61 percent and ranks 37th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.4 percentage points.

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Arizona

Payroll employment

• Arizona added 2,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Arizona added 8,100 jobs. Arizona nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Arizona is tied for 10th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arizona added 3,000 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Arizona added 7,300 jobs. Arizona private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 120,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. Arizona is tied for 9th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From April 2026 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Construction (+1,300) and Financial Activities (+700).
• The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-1,000) and Professional and Business Services (-300).

From May 2025 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+16,600) and Professional and Business Services (+8,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-4,000) and Federal Government (-3,200).

Arizona

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 Arizona fell to 60.7 percent in May from 61 percent in the prior month.

• Arizona ranks 37th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arizona was 62.2 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 60.2 percent occurring in May 2016.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.8 percent in May.