US unemployment fell in five states in September, BLS says
The national jobless rate held at 4.2%; payroll employment rose in two states and fell in one.
Event / data period: 2026-09
Published: · Updated:
Unemployment rates declined in five states in September and were stable in 45 states and the District of Columbia, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on 20 October. South Dakota had the lowest rate at 2.0%, while the District had the highest at 5.6%; the national rate was 4.2%.
Payroll employment increased in New Jersey and South Carolina, fell in Wisconsin and was essentially unchanged elsewhere. The BLS draws unemployment estimates largely from a household survey and payroll estimates from establishments, so the measures describe different populations and locations.
Data
September unemployment rates
BLS seasonally adjusted rates for September 2026.
| United States | 4.2 |
| South Dakota | 2 |
| District of Columbia | 5.6 |
Methodology
Labor-force rates published by BLS; household survey, by place of residence.
Updated:
Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- EconomySuggested
- Preserved editorial category/topic; broad candidate onlywww.bls.gov ↗
- EmploymentSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: employment, payrollwww.bls.gov ↗
- Labor marketSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: employment, payrollwww.bls.gov ↗
- UnemploymentSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: unemploymentwww.bls.gov ↗
Geographic references
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- United States · Place role: Coverage · Place type: Country or area · Location precision: RegionalEvidence
- Explicit preserved editorial country/region; no city or national centroid inferredwww.bls.gov ↗