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.

Connecticut

Employment snapshot

• In January, Connecticut added 5,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.5 percent. In the prior month, Connecticut added 400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Connecticut added 5,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.9 percentage points from 3.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Connecticut is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, Connecticut’s private sector added 5,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 6,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Connecticut added 200 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in Connecticut fell by 6,123, and over the past 12 months it fell by 28,901.

• Connecticut’s labor force participation rate fell to 63.8 percent in January from 63.9 percent and is tied for 17th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Connecticut

Payroll employment

• Connecticut added 5,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Connecticut added 400 jobs. Connecticut nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Connecticut is tied for 18th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Connecticut added 5,000 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Connecticut added 200 jobs. Connecticut private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Connecticut is tied for 15th 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 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,400) and Professional and Business Services (+1,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-200) and Federal Government (-100).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+5,700) and Construction (+1,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-2,200) and Federal Government (-1,200).

Connecticut

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 Connecticut fell to 63.8 percent in January from 63.9 percent in the prior month.

• Connecticut is tied for 17th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Connecticut was 66.6 percent occurring in October 2019, and the 10-year low was 61.7 percent in May 2021.

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