January 2026 | Released April 08, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

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

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In January, payroll jobs rose in 45 states and fell in 6. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in California and North Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

California

Employment snapshot

• In January, California added 93,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 5.4 percent. In the prior month, California added 3,500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, California added 131,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. California ranks 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, California’s private sector added 94,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 206,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, California lost 700 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in California fell by 5,030, and over the past 12 months it rose by 77,382.

• California’s labor force participation rate fell to 62.5 percent in January from 62.6 percent and ranks 29th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points.

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California

Payroll employment

• California added 93,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.5 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, California added 3,500 jobs. California 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. California ranks 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• California added 94,800 private sector jobs, or 0.6 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, California lost 700 jobs. California private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. California ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From December 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+31,800) and Leisure and Hospitality (+22,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-1,400) and Information (-1,400).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+192,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (+37,300).
• The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-44,900) and Federal Government (-30,300).

California

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 California fell to 62.5 percent in January from 62.6 percent in the prior month.

• California ranks 29th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in California was 63 percent in February 2020, and the 10-year low was 59.6 percent in May 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.