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.

Georgia

Employment snapshot

• In April, Georgia added 7,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Georgia added 10,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Georgia added 2,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Georgia’s private sector added 6,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 9,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Georgia added 10,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Georgia rose by 8,799, and over the past 12 months it rose by 44,691.

• Georgia’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 60.8 percent in April and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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Georgia

Payroll employment

• Georgia added 7,100 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Georgia added 10,800 jobs. Georgia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Georgia added 6,900 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Georgia added 10,600 jobs. Georgia private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Georgia is tied for 26th 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 Financial Activities (+2,500) and Private Education and Health Services (+2,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-1,100) and Information (-500).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+25,900) and State and Local Government (+4,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-11,400) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,900).

Georgia

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 Georgia remained unchanged at 60.8 percent in April.

• Georgia ranks 36th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Georgia was 63.9 percent occurring in June 2017, and the 10-year low was 59.6 percent occurring in August 2020.

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