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.

Utah

Employment snapshot

• In January, Utah added 2,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Utah added 4,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Utah added 13,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Utah is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, Utah’s private sector added 2,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 14,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Utah added 4,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in Utah fell by 2,153, and over the past 12 months it rose by 314.

• Utah’s labor force participation rate fell to 67.5 percent in January from 67.7 percent and ranks 8th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.

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Utah

Payroll employment

• Utah added 2,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Utah added 4,100 jobs. Utah 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. Utah is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Utah added 2,800 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Utah added 4,200 jobs. Utah private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Utah is tied for 6th 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 Professional and Business Services (+2,100) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-600) and Federal Government (-400).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+10,500) and Private Education and Health Services (+6,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-4,800) and Information (-2,300).

Utah

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 Utah fell to 67.5 percent in January from 67.7 percent in the prior month.

• Utah ranks 8th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Utah was 69.2 percent occurring in March 2023, and the 10-year low was 67.5 percent occurring in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.