April 2026

Released May 22, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in North Dakota.

Florida

Employment snapshot

• In April, Florida added 40,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Florida added 27,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Florida added 15,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 1.1 percentage points from 3.7 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 20th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Florida’s private sector added 39,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 23,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Florida added 26,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Florida fell by 5,286, and over the past 12 months it fell by 86,328.

• Florida’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.7 percent in April and ranks 46th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.

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Florida

Payroll employment

• Florida added 40,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Florida added 27,300 jobs. Florida nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 20th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Florida added 39,600 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Florida added 26,300 jobs. Florida private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 23rd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From March 2026 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+7,500) and Other Services (+6,500).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-200) and State and Local Government (+1,100).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+36,400) and Professional and Business Services (+12,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-10,900) and Federal Government (-9,900).

Florida

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 Florida remained unchanged at 57.7 percent in April.

• Florida ranks 46th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Florida was 59.7 percent occurring in October 2019, and the 10-year low was 53.8 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.8 percent in April.