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.
Kansas
Employment snapshot
In April, Kansas added 4,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent. In the prior month, Kansas lost 1,800 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Kansas lost 3,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.8 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Kansas is tied for 35th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In April, Kansas’s private sector added 4,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 2,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kansas lost 1,400 net private payroll jobs.
In April, employment in Kansas fell by 3,684, and over the past 12 months it fell by 12.
Kansas’s labor force participation rate fell to 67.4 percent in April from 67.6 percent and is tied for 5th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.3 percentage points.
Kansas
Payroll employment
Kansas added 4,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Kansas lost 1,800 jobs. Kansas 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. Kansas is tied for 35th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Kansas added 4,500 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Kansas lost 1,400 jobs. Kansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Kansas is tied for 39th 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 Construction (+1,600) and Professional and Business Services (+1,300).
- The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-1,000) and Federal Government (-200).
From April 2025 to April 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+2,500) and State and Local Government (+1,100).
- The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,400) and Other Services (-1,700).
Kansas
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 Kansas fell to 67.4 percent in April from 67.6 percent in the prior month.
Kansas is tied for 5th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Kansas was 68 percent occurring in August 2025, and the 10-year low was 66.3 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.8 percent in April.