The US unemployment rate was 4.10% in Oct 2026.
The unemployment rate, monthly payrolls from the jobs report, jobless claims, job openings and wages.
Shaded bands are US recessions. Source: FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Jobs added or lost each month (nonfarm payrolls).
| Date | Monthly change |
|---|---|
| Oct 1 | 165K |
| Sep 1 | 60K |
| Aug 1 | 186K |
| Jul 1 | −10K |
| Jun 1 | 31K |
| May 1 | 63K |
| Apr 1 | 148K |
| Mar 1 | 214K |
| Feb 1 | −156K |
| Jan 1 | 160K |
| Dec 1 | −17K |
| Nov 1 | 41K |
The share of the labour force without a job and looking for one.
| Date | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| Oct 1 | 4.10% |
| Sep 1 | 4.20% |
| Aug 1 | 4.10% |
| Jul 1 | 4.10% |
| Jun 1 | 4.20% |
| May 1 | 4.30% |
| Apr 1 | 4.30% |
| Mar 1 | 4.30% |
| Feb 1 | 4.40% |
| Jan 1 | 4.30% |
| Dec 1 | 4.40% |
| Nov 1 | 4.50% |
New claims for unemployment insurance each week: the most timely read on layoffs.
| Date | Initial claims | 4-week average |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 7 | 200K | 195.3K |
| Oct 31 | 191K | 195.3K |
| Oct 24 | 195K | 197K |
| Oct 17 | 195K | 198K |
| Oct 10 | 200K | 198.8K |
| Oct 3 | 198K | 198.3K |
| Sep 26 | 199K | 200.5K |
| Sep 19 | 198K | 202.5K |
| Sep 12 | 198K | 204K |
| Sep 5 | 207K | 206.3K |
| Aug 29 | 207K | 207.5K |
| Aug 22 | 204K | 205.8K |
People still claiming after their first week: rises when finding a new job takes longer.
| Date | Continuing claims |
|---|---|
| Oct 31 | 1.7M |
| Oct 24 | 1.7M |
| Oct 17 | 1.7M |
| Oct 10 | 1.7M |
| Oct 3 | 1.7M |
| Sep 26 | 1.7M |
| Sep 19 | 1.7M |
| Sep 12 | 1.7M |
| Sep 5 | 1.7M |
| Aug 29 | 1.8M |
| Aug 22 | 1.8M |
| Aug 15 | 1.8M |
Each as a share of employment (JOLTS). Quits rise when workers are confident of finding better pay.
| Date | Openings | Hires | Quits | Layoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1 | 4.50% | 3.40% | 2.10% | 1.00% |
| Aug 1 | 4.30% | 3.30% | 1.90% | 1.10% |
| Jul 1 | 4.40% | 3.20% | 1.90% | 1.10% |
| Jun 1 | 4.30% | 3.40% | 2.00% | 1.10% |
| May 1 | 4.50% | 3.30% | 2.00% | 1.10% |
| Apr 1 | 4.60% | 3.30% | 1.90% | 1.00% |
| Mar 1 | 4.20% | 3.50% | 2.00% | 1.20% |
| Feb 1 | 4.20% | 3.10% | 1.90% | 1.10% |
| Jan 1 | 4.40% | 3.40% | 2.00% | 1.00% |
| Dec 1 | 4.00% | 3.30% | 2.00% | 1.10% |
| Nov 1 | 4.10% | 3.20% | 2.00% | 1.00% |
| Oct 1 | 4.30% | 3.30% | 1.90% | 1.20% |
Above 1, there are more vacancies than jobseekers.
| Date | Openings per unemployed |
|---|---|
| Sep 1 | 1.06× |
| Aug 1 | 1.02× |
| Jul 1 | 1.06× |
| Jun 1 | 1.01× |
| May 1 | 1.03× |
| Apr 1 | 1.03× |
| Mar 1 | 0.95× |
| Feb 1 | 0.91× |
| Jan 1 | 0.98× |
| Dec 1 | 0.87× |
| Nov 1 | 0.88× |
| Sep 1 | 0.94× |
U-6 adds part-timers who want more hours and people who have stopped looking.
| Date | Unemployment (U-3) | Underemployment (U-6) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 | 4.10% | 7.90% |
| Sep 1 | 4.20% | 7.60% |
| Aug 1 | 4.10% | 7.70% |
| Jul 1 | 4.10% | 7.90% |
| Jun 1 | 4.20% | 7.90% |
| May 1 | 4.30% | 8.10% |
| Apr 1 | 4.30% | 8.20% |
| Mar 1 | 4.30% | 8.00% |
| Feb 1 | 4.40% | 7.90% |
| Jan 1 | 4.30% | 8.10% |
| Dec 1 | 4.40% | 8.40% |
| Nov 1 | 4.50% | 8.70% |
The share of adults working or looking, and the share of 25–54 year-olds in work.
| Date | Participation rate | Prime-age employment rate |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 | 61.90% | 80.70% |
| Sep 1 | 61.80% | 80.70% |
| Aug 1 | 61.60% | 80.40% |
| Jul 1 | 61.40% | 80.40% |
| Jun 1 | 61.50% | 80.20% |
| May 1 | 61.80% | 80.80% |
| Apr 1 | 61.80% | 80.70% |
| Mar 1 | 61.90% | 80.70% |
| Feb 1 | 62.00% | 80.70% |
| Jan 1 | 62.10% | 80.80% |
| Dec 1 | 62.40% | 80.70% |
| Nov 1 | 62.50% | 80.60% |
The scheduled US releases that move these figures, from FRED's release calendar.