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.
Pennsylvania
Employment snapshot
In January, Pennsylvania added 17,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 10,000 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Pennsylvania added 35,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 4.1 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Pennsylvania ranks 10th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In January, Pennsylvania’s private sector added 18,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 43,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 9,900 net private payroll jobs.
In January, employment in Pennsylvania rose by 16,833, and over the past 12 months it rose by 39,983.
Pennsylvania’s labor force participation rate rose to 61.9 percent in January from 61.8 percent and ranks 33rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.4 percentage points.
Pennsylvania
Payroll employment
Pennsylvania added 17,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 10,000 jobs. Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania ranks 10th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Pennsylvania added 18,200 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 9,900 jobs. Pennsylvania private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Pennsylvania ranks 11th 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 Private Education and Health Services (+10,000) and Construction (+4,600).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,200) and Professional and Business Services (-1,100).
From January 2025 to January 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+35,900) and Construction (+7,000).
- The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-9,000) and Manufacturing (-5,600).
Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania rose to 61.9 percent in January from 61.8 percent in the prior month.
Pennsylvania ranks 33rd in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Pennsylvania was 63.4 percent occurring in February 2016, and the 10-year low was 60.8 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.