U.S. June 2026 Jobs Report Adds 57,000 Jobs, Unemployment Falls to 4.2%

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy added 57,000 non‑farm jobs in June 2026, well below the 92,000‑month average and short of analysts’ expectations. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.2% from 4.3%, while the labor‑force participation rate slipped to 61.5%, the lowest level since 2021.

Revisions reduced May’s gain by 43,000 jobs to 129,000 and April’s gain to 148,000. Private education and health services led hiring with 69,000 jobs, followed by professional and business services with 36,000. Leisure and hospitality shed 61,000 jobs, and the information sector lost 9,000.

Average weekly earnings rose 3.8% year‑over‑year, outpacing inflation, and the job‑openings rate held steady at 4.6% with about 7.6 million openings nationwide. State‑level data showed varied trends: the District of Columbia recorded the highest unemployment at 6.1%, South Dakota the lowest at 2.1%; West Virginia posted the largest payroll employment increase (1.4%), while Montana saw the biggest decline (0.5%). Construction firms added 11,000 jobs. The film and sound‑recording sector reported a loss of roughly 3,600 positions.