September 2026 | Released October 20, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 18, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 24.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In September, payroll jobs rose in 24 states and fell in 25. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in South Carolina. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in Missouri and Wisconsin.

Tennessee

Employment snapshot

• In September, Tennessee added 2,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.4 percent. In the prior month, Tennessee added 3,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Tennessee added 28,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 3.5 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 29,000 in September, or 0 percent. Tennessee is tied for 16th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Tennessee’s private sector added 1,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 23,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Tennessee added 1,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Tennessee rose by 5,808, and over the past 12 months it fell by 44,513.

• Tennessee’s labor force participation rate rose to 59.3 percent in September from 59.2 percent and ranks 38th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.3 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 September. In the prior month, Tennessee added 3,200 jobs. Tennessee nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 29,000 in September, or 0 percent. Tennessee is tied for 16th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Tennessee added 1,000 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Tennessee added 1,600 jobs. Tennessee private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 46,000 jobs in September, or 0 percent. Tennessee is tied for 19th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From August 2026 to September 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+2,100) and State and Local Government (+1,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-1,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,200).

From September 2025 to September 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+10,000) and Private Education and Health Services (+9,800).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-4,100) and Federal Government (-2,700).

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 rose to 59.3 percent in September from 59.2 percent in the prior month.

• Tennessee ranks 38th 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 rose by 0.2 percentage points to 61.8 percent in September.