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.

Ohio

Employment snapshot

• In January, Ohio added 16,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Ohio added 3,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Ohio added 23,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.5 percentage points from 4.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Ohio is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, Ohio’s private sector added 15,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 23,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Ohio added 2,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in Ohio fell by 1,350, and over the past 12 months it fell by 3,936.

• Ohio’s labor force participation rate fell to 62.2 percent in January from 62.3 percent and ranks 31st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Ohio

Payroll employment

• Ohio added 16,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Ohio added 3,200 jobs. Ohio nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Ohio is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Ohio added 15,100 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Ohio added 2,900 jobs. Ohio private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Ohio is tied for 15th 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 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+6,300) and Private Education and Health Services (+4,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-1,500) and Federal Government (-600).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+15,400) and Construction (+8,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-8,100) and Financial Activities (-2,200).

Ohio

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 Ohio fell to 62.2 percent in January from 62.3 percent in the prior month.

• Ohio ranks 31st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 63.6 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 59.5 percent in April 2020.

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