January 2026

Released April 08, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In January, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 22, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In January, payroll jobs rose in 45 states and fell in 6. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in California and North Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

New Hampshire

Employment snapshot

• In January, New Hampshire added 2,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.2 percent. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 1,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Hampshire lost 5,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. New Hampshire is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, New Hampshire’s private sector added 1,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 3,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 800 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in New Hampshire rose by 380, and over the past 12 months it rose by 1,657.

• New Hampshire’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 65.3 percent in January and ranks 12th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.

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New Hampshire

Payroll employment

• New Hampshire added 2,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 1,700 jobs. New Hampshire nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 3 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. New Hampshire is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Hampshire added 1,600 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 800 jobs. New Hampshire private sector payroll employment has increased in 4 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. New Hampshire ranks 46th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From December 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+1,200) and Professional and Business Services (+600).
• The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-500) and Federal Government (-100).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Other Services (+900) and Private Education and Health Services (+300).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,100) and State and Local Government (-1,300).

New Hampshire

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 New Hampshire remained unchanged at 65.3 percent in January.

• New Hampshire ranks 12th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Hampshire was 69 percent occurring in September 2019, and the 10-year low was 65.1 percent in October 2021.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.