May 2026 | Released June 23, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

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

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.1 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 13. The largest payroll job percent increase was 1.4 percent in West Virginia. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Montana.

New York

Employment snapshot

• In May, New York added 13,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6 percent. In the prior month, New York lost 1,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New York added 37,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 4.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, New York’s private sector added 11,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 33,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New York lost 2,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in New York fell by 10,327, and over the past 12 months it rose by 80,932.

• New York’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.7 percent in May and is tied for 32nd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.8 percentage points.

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New York

Payroll employment

• New York added 13,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, New York lost 1,300 jobs. New York nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New York added 11,800 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, New York lost 2,300 jobs. New York private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 120,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 21st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From April 2026 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+6,300) and Private Education and Health Services (+5,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,000) and Financial Activities (-1,000).

From May 2025 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+37,900) and Professional and Business Services (+13,300).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-9,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-7,500).

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 61.7 percent in May.

• New York is tied for 32nd 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 remained steady at 61.8 percent in May.