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.

Illinois

Employment snapshot

• In July, Illinois added 11,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage point to 4.9 percent. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Illinois added 11,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 4.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 29th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, Illinois’s private sector added 11,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 5,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in Illinois fell by 10,468, and over the past 12 months it fell by 103,906.

• Illinois’s labor force participation rate fell to 63.3 percent in July from 63.5 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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Illinois

Payroll employment

• Illinois added 11,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,800 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 29th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Illinois added 11,100 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Illinois added 1,000 jobs. Illinois 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. Illinois ranks 35th 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 Private Education and Health Services (+6,200) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,800).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-3,800) and Financial Activities (-2,200).

From July 2025 to July 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+13,000) and Construction (+12,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-14,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,500).

Illinois

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 Illinois fell to 63.3 percent in July from 63.5 percent in the prior month.

• Illinois is tied for 17th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Illinois was 65.3 percent in July 2016, and the 10-year low was 61.8 percent in June 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.4 percent in July.