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Economic indicators and analysis. Current coverage: a dated U.S. labor-market snapshot.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 2, 2026 archived release for September 2026. These are historical labor-market observations, not live stock-market quotes. Values may differ from later revised releases.
| Indicator | Value | As of | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 4.2 | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09 · percent · seasonally adjusted |
| Nonfarm payroll monthly change | 29 | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09 · thousand jobs · seasonally adjusted |
| Labor force participation rate | 61.8 | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09 · percent · seasonally adjusted |
| Employment-population ratio | 59.2 | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09 · percent · seasonally adjusted |
| Average hourly earnings | 37.81 | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09 · USD/hour · seasonally adjusted |
| Average weekly hours | 34.4 | 2026-09-30 | 2026-09 · hours/week · seasonally adjusted |
The September 2026 archived BLS release reported a 29,000 increase in nonfarm payroll employment and a 4.2 percent unemployment rate. Payroll change comes from the establishment survey; the unemployment rate comes from the household survey. One measures a monthly change in jobs and the other a share of the labor force. They should not be combined into a single growth rate.
Source · 2026-09-30The archived release recorded labor force participation of 61.8 percent and an employment-population ratio of 59.2 percent. Both use population-related denominators that differ from the unemployment rate. A change in participation can alter the interpretation of unemployment, so a single rate does not describe every movement in labor supply.
Source · 2026-09-30Average hourly earnings for private nonfarm payroll employees were $37.81, and the average workweek was 34.4 hours in the September 2026 release. These are workforce averages, not an individual wage quote or an inflation-adjusted pay measure. Changes in the mix of jobs can influence an aggregate average.
Source · 2026-09-30These figures reproduce the October 2, 2026 release for September observations. They are a historical snapshot, not a claim about the latest labor-market reading. Payroll observations can subsequently be revised; the source vintage is retained so readers can reproduce the figures displayed here.
Source · 2026-09-30