July 2026
Released August 21, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 29, rose in 4, and remained unchanged in 18.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 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 4.1 percent.
In July, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Maryland. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in New Jersey.
Texas
Employment snapshot
In July, Texas added 1,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.5 percent. In the prior month, Texas added 40,200 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Texas added 165,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 4.2 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Texas ranks 4th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In July, Texas’s private sector added 3,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 170,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Texas added 45,700 net private payroll jobs.
In July, employment in Texas rose by 3,685, and over the past 12 months it fell by 24,629.
Texas’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 64.2 percent in July and ranks 14th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.
Texas
Payroll employment
Texas added 1,600 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Texas added 40,200 jobs. Texas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, or 0 percent. Texas ranks 4th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Texas added 3,300 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Texas added 45,700 jobs. Texas private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 30,000 jobs in July, or 0 percent. Texas is tied for 4th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From June 2026 to July 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+5,900) and Professional and Business Services (+3,600).
- The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-5,100) and Construction (-3,400).
From July 2025 to July 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+67,000) and Private Education and Health Services (+35,000).
- The worst performing sectors were Information (-10,900) and Federal Government (-10,900).
Texas
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 Texas remained unchanged at 64.2 percent in July.
Texas ranks 14th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Texas was 64.9 percent occurring in June 2024, and the 10-year low was 60.3 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.4 percent in July.