March 2026 | Released May 06, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 14, rose in 10, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.3 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 35 states and fell in 15. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Tennessee. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Hawaii, Montana, and Oregon.

New York

Employment snapshot

• In March, New York added 1,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6 percent. In the prior month, New York lost 23,500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New York lost 8,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 25th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, New York’s private sector lost 1,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 17,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New York lost 19,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in New York rose by 4,492, and over the past 12 months it rose by 93,022.

• New York’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.8 percent in March and ranks 33rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.9 percentage points.

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New York

Payroll employment

• New York added 1,400 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, New York lost 23,500 jobs. New York nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 25th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New York lost 1,900 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, New York lost 19,600 jobs. New York private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 38th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From February 2026 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+3,700) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Information (-2,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,400).

From March 2025 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+44,500) and State and Local Government (+16,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-14,700) and Leisure and Hospitality (-14,200).

New York

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 York remained unchanged at 61.8 percent in March.

• New York ranks 33rd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New York was 61.8 percent occurring in February 2026, and the 10-year low was 56.1 percent in April 2020.

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