June 2026

Released July 21, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 30, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 14.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In June, payroll jobs rose in 34 states and fell in 17. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Alaska and New Hampshire. The largest payroll job percent decline was 1.2 percent in West Virginia.

Tennessee

Employment snapshot

• In June, Tennessee added 2,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Tennessee added 6,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Tennessee added 25,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 57,000 in June, or 0 percent. Tennessee is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In June, Tennessee’s private sector added 2,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 26,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Tennessee added 4,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In June, employment in Tennessee fell by 4,059, and over the past 12 months it fell by 37,062.

• Tennessee’s labor force participation rate fell to 59.4 percent in June from 59.6 percent and ranks 39th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.1 percentage points.

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Tennessee

Payroll employment

• Tennessee added 2,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Tennessee added 6,300 jobs. Tennessee nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 57,000 in June, or 0 percent. Tennessee is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Tennessee added 2,600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Tennessee added 4,900 jobs. Tennessee private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 49,000 jobs in June, or 0 percent. Tennessee is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From May 2026 to June 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+1,500) and Manufacturing (+1,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-500) and Financial Activities (-400).

From June 2025 to June 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+15,400) and Leisure and Hospitality (+8,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-3,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,100).

Tennessee

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 Tennessee fell to 59.4 percent in June from 59.6 percent in the prior month.

• Tennessee ranks 39th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Tennessee was 61.9 percent occurring in April 2019, and the 10-year low was 58.8 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.3 percentage points to 61.5 percent in June.