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.

Hawaii

Employment snapshot

• In April, Hawaii added 1,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 2.5 percent. In the prior month, Hawaii lost 800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Hawaii added 2,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

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

• In April, Hawaii’s private sector added 1,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 3,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Hawaii lost 700 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Hawaii fell by 107, and over the past 12 months it rose by 202.

• Hawaii’s labor force participation rate rose to 60.7 percent in April from 60.6 percent and ranks 37th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Hawaii

Payroll employment

• Hawaii added 1,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Hawaii lost 800 jobs. Hawaii nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

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

• Hawaii added 1,300 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Hawaii lost 700 jobs. Hawaii 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. Hawaii is tied for 7th 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 (+700) and State and Local Government (+500).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-200) and Federal Government (-100).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+2,400) and State and Local Government (+1,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,900) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-600).

Hawaii

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 Hawaii rose to 60.7 percent in April from 60.6 percent in the prior month.

• Hawaii ranks 37th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Hawaii was 62.4 percent in March 2017, and the 10-year low was 55.3 percent in September 2020.

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