June 2026

Released July 21, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 30, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 14.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In June, payroll jobs rose in 34 states and fell in 17. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Alaska and New Hampshire. The largest payroll job percent decline was 1.2 percent in West Virginia.

Colorado

Employment snapshot

• In June, Colorado added 4,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent. In the prior month, Colorado lost 900 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Colorado added 28,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 57,000 in June, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In June, Colorado’s private sector added 4,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 29,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Colorado lost 200 net private payroll jobs.

• In June, employment in Colorado fell by 11,760, and over the past 12 months it fell by 59,525.

• Colorado’s labor force participation rate fell to 65.6 percent in June from 65.9 percent and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.6 percentage points.

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Colorado

Payroll employment

• Colorado added 4,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Colorado lost 900 jobs. Colorado nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 57,000 in June, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Colorado added 4,700 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Colorado lost 200 jobs. Colorado private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 49,000 jobs in June, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From May 2026 to June 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+4,000) and Construction (+1,500).
• The worst performing sectors were Information (-1,700) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,700).

From June 2025 to June 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+20,800) and Leisure and Hospitality (+13,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Information (-5,300) and Federal Government (-4,800).

Colorado

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 Colorado fell to 65.6 percent in June from 65.9 percent in the prior month.

• Colorado ranks 10th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Colorado was 68.8 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 65.4 percent in July 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.3 percentage points to 61.5 percent in June.