May 2026 | Released June 23, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 20, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 22.
The highest unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.1 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 13. The largest payroll job percent increase was 1.4 percent in West Virginia. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Montana.
Texas
Employment snapshot
In May, Texas added 17,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Texas added 7,400 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Texas added 98,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 4.1 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Texas ranks 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Texas’s private sector added 15,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 96,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Texas added 6,000 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Texas rose by 1,110, and over the past 12 months it rose by 6,886.
Texas’s labor force participation rate fell to 64.2 percent in May from 64.3 percent 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 17,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Texas added 7,400 jobs. Texas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Texas ranks 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Texas added 15,800 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Texas added 6,000 jobs. Texas private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 120,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. Texas is tied for 9th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From April 2026 to May 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+7,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (+3,900).
- The worst performing sectors were Information (-1,600) and Professional and Business Services (-1,300).
From May 2025 to May 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+36,800) and Private Education and Health Services (+28,300).
- The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-13,400) and Manufacturing (-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 fell to 64.2 percent in May from 64.3 percent in the prior month.
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 remained steady at 61.8 percent in May.