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.

Louisiana

Employment snapshot

• In April, Louisiana added 4,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.4 percent. In the prior month, Louisiana added 4,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Louisiana added 10,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 4.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Louisiana is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Louisiana’s private sector added 3,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 9,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Louisiana added 3,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Louisiana rose by 1,180, and over the past 12 months it rose by 28,315.

• Louisiana’s labor force participation rate rose to 58.8 percent in April from 58.7 percent and is tied for 44th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.8 percentage points.

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Louisiana

Payroll employment

• Louisiana added 4,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Louisiana added 4,000 jobs. Louisiana nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Louisiana is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Louisiana added 3,700 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Louisiana added 3,200 jobs. Louisiana private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Louisiana is tied for 12th 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 (+2,200) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+800).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-400) and Manufacturing (-300).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Construction (+8,000) and Private Education and Health Services (+4,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,000) and Federal Government (-2,100).

Louisiana

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 Louisiana rose to 58.8 percent in April from 58.7 percent in the prior month.

• Louisiana is tied for 44th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Louisiana was 59.5 percent in April 2016, and the 10-year low was 55.2 percent in April 2020.

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