April 2026 | Released May 22, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in North Dakota.

Utah

Employment snapshot

• In April, Utah added 4,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Utah added 1,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Utah added 12,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Utah ranks 4th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Utah’s private sector added 4,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 12,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Utah added 1,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Utah fell by 5,829, and over the past 12 months it fell by 15,103.

• Utah’s labor force participation rate fell to 66.8 percent in April from 67.1 percent and ranks 8th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.3 percentage points.

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Utah

Payroll employment

• Utah added 4,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Utah added 1,200 jobs. Utah nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Utah ranks 4th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Utah added 4,200 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Utah added 1,000 jobs. Utah private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Utah is tied for 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From March 2026 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+2,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-500) and Federal Government (-200).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+8,800) and Private Education and Health Services (+7,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-4,800) and Manufacturing (-2,100).

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 66.8 percent in April from 67.1 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 66.8 percent in April 2026.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.8 percent in April.