July 2026 | Released August 21, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 29, rose in 4, and remained unchanged in 18.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 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 4.1 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Maryland. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in New Jersey.

Colorado

Employment snapshot

• In July, Colorado added 5,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent. In the prior month, Colorado added 1,900 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Colorado added 12,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 21st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, Colorado’s private sector added 6,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 16,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Colorado added 2,500 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in Colorado fell by 4,480, and over the past 12 months it fell by 64,274.

• Colorado’s labor force participation rate fell to 65.5 percent in July from 65.6 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 5,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Colorado added 1,900 jobs. Colorado nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 21st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Colorado added 6,500 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Colorado added 2,500 jobs. Colorado private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 30,000 jobs in July, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 16th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2026 to July 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+2,000) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,800).
• The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-400) and Financial Activities (-300).

From July 2025 to July 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+15,500) and Leisure and Hospitality (+9,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Information (-5,600) and Financial Activities (-5,300).

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 65.5 percent in July from 65.6 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 0.1 percentage points to 61.4 percent in July.