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.

Vermont

Employment snapshot

• In January, Vermont added 100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.7 percent. In the prior month, Vermont added 600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Vermont lost 2,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 2.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Vermont is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, Vermont’s private sector added 500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 1,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Vermont added 600 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in Vermont fell by 1,361, and over the past 12 months it fell by 7,252.

• Vermont’s labor force participation rate fell to 63.5 percent in January from 63.7 percent and is tied for 23rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.2 percentage points.

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Vermont

Payroll employment

• Vermont added 100 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Vermont added 600 jobs. Vermont nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 4 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Vermont is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Vermont added 500 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Vermont added 600 jobs. Vermont private sector payroll employment has increased in 4 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Vermont ranks 47th 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 Private Education and Health Services (+400) and Construction (+200).
• The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-200).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+600) and Mining and Logging (+100).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,500) and Private Education and Health Services (-500).

Vermont

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 Vermont fell to 63.5 percent in January from 63.7 percent in the prior month.

• Vermont is tied for 23rd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Vermont was 67.3 percent occurring in February 2017, and the 10-year low was 61.6 percent in January 2021.

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