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.

Arkansas

Employment snapshot

• In August, Arkansas added 5,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.9 percent. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arkansas added 7,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 4.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, Arkansas’s private sector added 5,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 9,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Arkansas rose by 1,972, and over the past 12 months it rose by 22,140.

• Arkansas’s labor force participation rate fell to 59.1 percent in August from 59.2 percent and ranks 39th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.4 percentage points.

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Arkansas

Payroll employment

• Arkansas added 5,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 jobs. Arkansas 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. Arkansas is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arkansas added 5,100 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 jobs. Arkansas 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. Arkansas ranks 20th 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 (+2,300) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-200) and Other Services (-100).

From August 2025 to August 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+4,200) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-1,100) and Federal Government (-900).

Arkansas

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 Arkansas fell to 59.1 percent in August from 59.2 percent in the prior month.

• Arkansas ranks 39th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arkansas was 59.2 percent occurring in February 2026, and the 10-year low was 56.4 percent occurring in July 2021.

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