An independent publication

Vol. I, No. 6 Afternoon Edition

The Fed Gazette

A civic journal of money and credit

Live Federal Reserve rates, FOMC decisions, speeches, and Treasury data, with every figure copied from the agency that published it.

Jobs and the labor market

Jobs Report: Nonfarm Payrolls and Unemployment Rate

Total nonfarm payrolls stood at 159,044 thousand for September 2026 and the unemployment rate was 4.20% for September 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, via GOVSPENDING.ORG.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG, PAYEMS, All employees, total nonfarm, thousands of persons, monthly; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG, UNRATE, Unemployment rate, percent, monthly · Published · Updated

Total nonfarm payroll employment and the unemployment rate from the monthly Employment Situation, each with a chart, what changed since last month, and a plain explanation. Figures are copied as published. This paper does not compute job gains.

  • Total nonfarm payrolls 159,044 thousand September 2026 Higher than the previous print
  • Unemployment rate 4.20% September 2026 Higher than the previous print

Jobs Report chart

Total nonfarm payroll employment over time

Monthly level of all employees on nonfarm payrolls, in thousands of persons as the feed names the unit. Each point is a stored monthly print.

158,400158,600158,800159,000159,200Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26158,400158,600158,800159,000159,200Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26
145,000150,000155,000160,00020222023202420252026145,000150,000155,000160,00020222023202420252026
130,000140,000150,000160,00020182020202220242026130,000140,000150,000160,00020182020202220242026
050,000100,000150,000200,000194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025050,000100,000150,000200,000194019551970198520002015
  • Total nonfarm payrolls 159,044 thousand Sep 1, 2026

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG, PAYEMS, All employees, total nonfarm, thousands of persons, monthly · as of · retrieved

Data
Total nonfarm payroll employment over time, the last print of each calendar quarter (a sample of the plotted line)
PeriodTotal nonfarm payrolls
March 193930,280 thousand
June 193930,502 thousand
September 193931,031 thousand
December 193931,542 thousand
March 194031,825 thousand
June 194031,977 thousand
September 194032,810 thousand
December 194034,174 thousand
March 194135,092 thousand
June 194136,650 thousand
September 194137,835 thousand
December 194138,104 thousand
March 194238,935 thousand
June 194240,029 thousand
September 194241,259 thousand
December 194241,915 thousand
March 194342,552 thousand
June 194342,781 thousand
September 194342,492 thousand
December 194342,746 thousand
March 194442,294 thousand
June 194441,947 thousand
September 194441,679 thousand
December 194441,860 thousand
March 194541,798 thousand
June 194541,149 thousand
September 194538,507 thousand
December 194539,110 thousand
March 194640,195 thousand
June 194641,735 thousand
September 194642,915 thousand
December 194643,379 thousand
March 194743,607 thousand
June 194743,810 thousand
September 194744,203 thousand
December 194744,581 thousand
March 194844,683 thousand
June 194845,034 thousand
September 194845,294 thousand
December 194845,032 thousand
March 194944,240 thousand
June 194943,739 thousand
September 194943,780 thousand
December 194943,522 thousand
March 195043,954 thousand
June 195045,083 thousand
September 195046,438 thousand
December 195046,861 thousand
March 195147,873 thousand
June 195148,064 thousand
September 195147,954 thousand
December 195148,314 thousand
March 195248,504 thousand
June 195248,282 thousand
September 195249,320 thousand
December 195250,166 thousand
March 195350,473 thousand
June 195350,519 thousand
September 195350,368 thousand
December 195349,703 thousand
March 195449,157 thousand
June 195448,895 thousand
September 195448,886 thousand
December 195449,331 thousand
March 195549,962 thousand
June 195550,790 thousand
September 195551,266 thousand
December 195551,805 thousand
March 195652,294 thousand
June 195652,586 thousand
September 195652,604 thousand
December 195652,929 thousand
March 195753,156 thousand
June 195753,067 thousand
September 195752,934 thousand
December 195752,384 thousand
March 195851,299 thousand
June 195850,914 thousand
September 195851,506 thousand
December 195852,085 thousand
March 195953,014 thousand
June 195953,681 thousand
September 195953,428 thousand
December 195954,174 thousand
March 196054,454 thousand
June 196054,348 thousand
September 196054,227 thousand
December 196053,742 thousand
March 196153,659 thousand
June 196153,977 thousand
September 196154,388 thousand
December 196154,872 thousand
March 196255,275 thousand
June 196255,644 thousand
September 196255,978 thousand
December 196256,028 thousand
March 196356,320 thousand
June 196356,659 thousand
September 196357,078 thousand
December 196357,361 thousand
March 196457,897 thousand
June 196458,219 thousand
September 196458,903 thousand
December 196459,421 thousand
March 196560,003 thousand
June 196560,690 thousand
September 196561,490 thousand
December 196562,322 thousand
March 196663,192 thousand
June 196664,111 thousand
September 196664,643 thousand
December 196665,199 thousand
March 196765,530 thousand
June 196765,750 thousand
September 196766,164 thousand
December 196766,900 thousand
March 196867,295 thousand
June 196867,905 thousand
September 196868,484 thousand
December 196869,248 thousand
March 196969,905 thousand
June 196970,636 thousand
September 196970,914 thousand
December 196971,241 thousand
March 197071,451 thousand
June 197071,029 thousand
September 197070,944 thousand
December 197070,792 thousand
March 197170,860 thousand
June 197171,254 thousand
September 197171,614 thousand
December 197172,109 thousand
March 197272,944 thousand
June 197273,758 thousand
September 197274,264 thousand
December 197275,268 thousand
March 197376,284 thousand
June 197376,887 thousand
September 197377,276 thousand
December 197378,031 thousand
March 197478,296 thousand
June 197478,604 thousand
September 197478,610 thousand
December 197477,652 thousand
March 197576,648 thousand
June 197576,521 thousand
September 197577,228 thousand
December 197578,017 thousand
March 197679,048 thousand
June 197679,376 thousand
September 197679,892 thousand
December 197680,448 thousand
March 197781,391 thousand
June 197782,488 thousand
September 197783,532 thousand
December 197784,410 thousand
March 197885,460 thousand
June 197886,950 thousand
September 197887,621 thousand
December 197888,671 thousand
March 197989,479 thousand
June 197990,108 thousand
September 197990,327 thousand
December 197990,672 thousand
March 198090,994 thousand
June 198090,101 thousand
September 198090,213 thousand
December 198090,943 thousand
March 198191,210 thousand
June 198191,490 thousand
September 198191,477 thousand
December 198190,895 thousand
March 198290,434 thousand
June 198289,865 thousand
September 198289,183 thousand
December 198288,771 thousand
March 198389,090 thousand
June 198390,021 thousand
September 198391,247 thousand
December 198392,230 thousand
March 198493,429 thousand
June 198494,479 thousand
September 198495,344 thousand
December 198496,107 thousand
March 198596,842 thousand
June 198597,459 thousand
September 198598,045 thousand
December 198598,609 thousand
March 198698,934 thousand
June 198699,155 thousand
September 198699,934 thousand
December 1986100,509 thousand
March 1987101,164 thousand
June 1987101,900 thousand
September 1987102,647 thousand
December 1987103,661 thousand
March 1988104,489 thousand
June 1988105,326 thousand
September 1988106,013 thousand
December 1988106,898 thousand
March 1989107,621 thousand
June 1989108,027 thousand
September 1989108,369 thousand
December 1989108,836 thousand
March 1990109,640 thousand
June 1990109,850 thousand
September 1990109,522 thousand
December 1990109,168 thousand
March 1991108,568 thousand
June 1991108,330 thousand
September 1991108,335 thousand
December 1991108,330 thousand
March 1992108,367 thousand
June 1992108,706 thousand
September 1992108,951 thousand
December 1992109,502 thousand
March 1993110,004 thousand
June 1993110,742 thousand
September 1993111,448 thousand
December 1993112,325 thousand
March 1994113,245 thousand
June 1994114,239 thousand
September 1994115,246 thousand
December 1994116,174 thousand
March 1995116,908 thousand
June 1995117,291 thousand
September 1995117,873 thousand
December 1995118,325 thousand
March 1996118,992 thousand
June 1996119,770 thousand
September 1996120,400 thousand
December 1996121,143 thousand
March 1997121,991 thousand
June 1997122,816 thousand
September 1997123,575 thousand
December 1997124,549 thousand
March 1998125,165 thousand
June 1998126,076 thousand
September 1998126,744 thousand
December 1998127,595 thousand
March 1999128,234 thousand
June 1999129,084 thousand
September 1999129,771 thousand
December 1999130,783 thousand
March 2000131,604 thousand
June 2000132,063 thousand
September 2000132,337 thousand
December 2000132,716 thousand
March 2001132,751 thousand
June 2001132,300 thousand
September 2001131,763 thousand
December 2001130,983 thousand
March 2002130,722 thousand
June 2002130,674 thousand
September 2002130,502 thousand
December 2002130,465 thousand
March 2003130,235 thousand
June 2003130,186 thousand
September 2003130,252 thousand
December 2003130,589 thousand
March 2004131,140 thousand
June 2004131,794 thousand
September 2004132,089 thousand
December 2004132,630 thousand
March 2005133,154 thousand
June 2005133,948 thousand
September 2005134,552 thousand
December 2005135,159 thousand
March 2006136,038 thousand
June 2006136,337 thousand
September 2006136,826 thousand
December 2006137,249 thousand
March 2007137,784 thousand
June 2007138,070 thousand
September 2007138,099 thousand
December 2007138,395 thousand
March 2008138,259 thousand
June 2008137,700 thousand
September 2008136,760 thousand
December 2008134,847 thousand
March 2009132,494 thousand
June 2009131,008 thousand
September 2009130,246 thousand
December 2009129,808 thousand
March 2010129,866 thousand
June 2010130,510 thousand
September 2010130,341 thousand
December 2010130,830 thousand
March 2011131,283 thousand
June 2011131,931 thousand
September 2011132,344 thousand
December 2011132,888 thousand
March 2012133,748 thousand
June 2012134,013 thousand
September 2012134,517 thousand
December 2012135,074 thousand
March 2013135,689 thousand
June 2013136,279 thousand
September 2013136,821 thousand
December 2013137,372 thousand
March 2014137,985 thousand
June 2014138,849 thousand
September 2014139,563 thousand
December 2014140,364 thousand
March 2015140,923 thousand
June 2015141,709 thousand
September 2015142,275 thousand
December 2015143,077 thousand
March 2016143,662 thousand
June 2016144,147 thousand
September 2016144,967 thousand
December 2016145,408 thousand
March 2017145,970 thousand
June 2017146,583 thousand
September 2017147,008 thousand
December 2017147,523 thousand
March 2018148,280 thousand
June 2018148,960 thousand
September 2018149,358 thousand
December 2018149,809 thousand
March 2019150,295 thousand
June 2019150,838 thousand
September 2019151,365 thousand
December 2019151,794 thousand
March 2020150,895 thousand
June 2020137,671 thousand
September 2020141,770 thousand
December 2020142,548 thousand
March 2021144,232 thousand
June 2021145,820 thousand
September 2021147,771 thousand
December 2021149,816 thousand
March 2022151,315 thousand
June 2022152,358 thousand
September 2022153,582 thousand
December 2022154,342 thousand
March 2023155,134 thousand
June 2023155,880 thousand
September 2023156,417 thousand
December 2023156,857 thousand
March 2024157,466 thousand
June 2024157,695 thousand
September 2024157,912 thousand
December 2024158,316 thousand
March 2025158,377 thousand
June 2025158,478 thousand
September 2025158,548 thousand
December 2025158,432 thousand
March 2026158,650 thousand
June 2026158,892 thousand
September 2026159,044 thousand
Unemployment rate over time

Monthly unemployment rate, in percent. Each point is a stored monthly print.

4.1%4.2%4.3%4.4%4.5%Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 264.1%4.2%4.3%4.4%4.5%Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26
3.0%3.5%4.0%4.5%5.0%202220232024202520263.0%3.5%4.0%4.5%5.0%20222023202420252026
0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%201820202022202420260.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%20182020202220242026
0.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%19501955196019651970197519801985199019952000200520102015202020250.0%5.0%10.0%15.0%195019651980199520102025
  • Unemployment rate 4.20% Sep 1, 2026

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG, UNRATE, Unemployment rate, percent, monthly · as of · retrieved

Data
Unemployment rate over time, the last print of each calendar quarter (a sample of the plotted line)
PeriodUnemployment rate
March 19484.00%
June 19483.60%
September 19483.80%
December 19484.00%
March 19495.00%
June 19496.20%
September 19496.60%
December 19496.60%
March 19506.30%
June 19505.40%
September 19504.40%
December 19504.30%
March 19513.40%
June 19513.20%
September 19513.30%
December 19513.10%
March 19522.90%
June 19523.00%
September 19523.10%
December 19522.70%
March 19532.60%
June 19532.50%
September 19532.90%
December 19534.50%
March 19545.70%
June 19545.60%
September 19546.10%
December 19545.00%
March 19554.60%
June 19554.20%
September 19554.10%
December 19554.20%
March 19564.20%
June 19564.30%
September 19563.90%
December 19564.20%
March 19573.70%
June 19574.30%
September 19574.40%
December 19575.20%
March 19586.70%
June 19587.30%
September 19587.10%
December 19586.20%
March 19595.60%
June 19595.00%
September 19595.50%
December 19595.30%
March 19605.40%
June 19605.40%
September 19605.50%
December 19606.60%
March 19616.90%
June 19616.90%
September 19616.70%
December 19616.00%
March 19625.60%
June 19625.50%
September 19625.60%
December 19625.50%
March 19635.70%
June 19635.60%
September 19635.50%
December 19635.50%
March 19645.40%
June 19645.20%
September 19645.10%
December 19645.00%
March 19654.70%
June 19654.60%
September 19654.30%
December 19654.00%
March 19663.80%
June 19663.80%
September 19663.70%
December 19663.80%
March 19673.80%
June 19673.90%
September 19673.80%
December 19673.80%
March 19683.70%
June 19683.70%
September 19683.40%
December 19683.40%
March 19693.40%
June 19693.50%
September 19693.70%
December 19693.50%
March 19704.40%
June 19704.90%
September 19705.40%
December 19706.10%
March 19716.00%
June 19715.90%
September 19716.00%
December 19716.00%
March 19725.80%
June 19725.70%
September 19725.50%
December 19725.20%
March 19734.90%
June 19734.90%
September 19734.80%
December 19734.90%
March 19745.10%
June 19745.40%
September 19745.90%
December 19747.20%
March 19758.60%
June 19758.80%
September 19758.40%
December 19758.20%
March 19767.60%
June 19767.60%
September 19767.60%
December 19767.80%
March 19777.40%
June 19777.20%
September 19776.80%
December 19776.40%
March 19786.30%
June 19785.90%
September 19786.00%
December 19786.00%
March 19795.80%
June 19795.70%
September 19795.90%
December 19796.00%
March 19806.30%
June 19807.60%
September 19807.50%
December 19807.20%
March 19817.40%
June 19817.50%
September 19817.60%
December 19818.50%
March 19829.00%
June 19829.60%
September 198210.10%
December 198210.80%
March 198310.30%
June 198310.10%
September 19839.20%
December 19838.30%
March 19847.80%
June 19847.20%
September 19847.30%
December 19847.30%
March 19857.20%
June 19857.40%
September 19857.10%
December 19857.00%
March 19867.20%
June 19867.20%
September 19867.00%
December 19866.60%
March 19876.60%
June 19876.20%
September 19875.90%
December 19875.70%
March 19885.70%
June 19885.40%
September 19885.40%
December 19885.30%
March 19895.00%
June 19895.30%
September 19895.30%
December 19895.40%
March 19905.20%
June 19905.20%
September 19905.90%
December 19906.30%
March 19916.80%
June 19916.90%
September 19916.90%
December 19917.30%
March 19927.40%
June 19927.80%
September 19927.60%
December 19927.40%
March 19937.00%
June 19937.00%
September 19936.70%
December 19936.50%
March 19946.50%
June 19946.10%
September 19945.90%
December 19945.50%
March 19955.40%
June 19955.60%
September 19955.60%
December 19955.60%
March 19965.50%
June 19965.30%
September 19965.20%
December 19965.40%
March 19975.20%
June 19975.00%
September 19974.90%
December 19974.70%
March 19984.70%
June 19984.50%
September 19984.60%
December 19984.40%
March 19994.20%
June 19994.30%
September 19994.20%
December 19994.00%
March 20004.00%
June 20004.00%
September 20003.90%
December 20003.90%
March 20014.30%
June 20014.50%
September 20015.00%
December 20015.70%
March 20025.70%
June 20025.80%
September 20025.70%
December 20026.00%
March 20035.90%
June 20036.30%
September 20036.10%
December 20035.70%
March 20045.80%
June 20045.60%
September 20045.40%
December 20045.40%
March 20055.20%
June 20055.00%
September 20055.00%
December 20054.90%
March 20064.70%
June 20064.60%
September 20064.50%
December 20064.40%
March 20074.40%
June 20074.60%
September 20074.70%
December 20075.00%
March 20085.10%
June 20085.60%
September 20086.10%
December 20087.30%
March 20098.70%
June 20099.50%
September 20099.80%
December 20099.90%
March 20109.90%
June 20109.40%
September 20109.50%
December 20109.30%
March 20119.00%
June 20119.10%
September 20119.00%
December 20118.50%
March 20128.20%
June 20128.20%
September 20127.80%
December 20127.90%
March 20137.50%
June 20137.50%
September 20137.20%
December 20136.70%
March 20146.70%
June 20146.10%
September 20145.90%
December 20145.60%
March 20155.40%
June 20155.30%
September 20155.00%
December 20155.00%
March 20165.00%
June 20164.90%
September 20165.00%
December 20164.70%
March 20174.40%
June 20174.30%
September 20174.30%
December 20174.10%
March 20184.00%
June 20184.00%
September 20183.70%
December 20183.90%
March 20193.80%
June 20193.60%
September 20193.50%
December 20193.60%
March 20204.40%
June 202011.00%
September 20207.80%
December 20206.70%
March 20216.10%
June 20215.90%
September 20214.70%
December 20213.90%
March 20223.70%
June 20223.60%
September 20223.50%
December 20223.50%
March 20233.50%
June 20233.60%
September 20233.70%
December 20233.80%
March 20243.90%
June 20244.10%
September 20244.10%
December 20244.10%
March 20254.20%
June 20254.10%
September 20254.40%
December 20254.40%
March 20264.30%
June 20264.20%
September 20264.20%
Cite this

Cite the agency first. This paper is the place you read the figure, as of Sep 1, 2026.

  • APA U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. (2026, September 1). PAYEMS, All employees, total nonfarm, thousands of persons, monthly [Data set]. https://govspending.org/series/PAYEMS/ Retrieved October 6, 2026, via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobs-report/#chart-jobs-report-0
  • MLA U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. “PAYEMS, All employees, total nonfarm, thousands of persons, monthly.” PAYEMS, All employees, total nonfarm, thousands of persons, monthly, data as of 1 Sept. 2026, https://govspending.org/series/PAYEMS/. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026 via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobs-report/#chart-jobs-report-0.
  • Chicago U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. “PAYEMS, All employees, total nonfarm, thousands of persons, monthly.” Data as of September 1, 2026. https://govspending.org/series/PAYEMS/. Retrieved October 6, 2026 via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobs-report/#chart-jobs-report-0.
Cite this

Cite the agency first. This paper is the place you read the figure, as of Sep 1, 2026.

  • APA U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. (2026, September 1). UNRATE, Unemployment rate, percent, monthly [Data set]. https://govspending.org/series/UNRATE/ Retrieved October 6, 2026, via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobs-report/#chart-jobs-report-0
  • MLA U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. “UNRATE, Unemployment rate, percent, monthly.” UNRATE, Unemployment rate, percent, monthly, data as of 1 Sept. 2026, https://govspending.org/series/UNRATE/. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026 via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobs-report/#chart-jobs-report-0.
  • Chicago U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG. “UNRATE, Unemployment rate, percent, monthly.” Data as of September 1, 2026. https://govspending.org/series/UNRATE/. Retrieved October 6, 2026 via The Fed Gazette, https://fedgazette.com/jobs-report/#chart-jobs-report-0.

As of September 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG · PAYEMS, All employees, total nonfarm, thousands of persons, monthly · Thousands of Persons · original series PAYEMS on FRED · Retrieved

As of September 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Situation), via GOVSPENDING.ORG · UNRATE, Unemployment rate, percent, monthly · Percent · original series UNRATE on FRED · Retrieved

Jobs report: what changed since the last print

The latest total nonfarm payrolls print is 159,044 thousand for September 2026, higher than the print before it, 159,015 thousand for August 2026. About a year earlier, for September 2025, it was 158,548 thousand, and the latest print is higher than that.

The latest unemployment rate print is 4.20% for September 2026, higher than the print before it, 4.10% for August 2026. About a year earlier, for September 2025, it was 4.40%, and the latest print is lower than that.

This paper says only whether the latest stored print is higher than, lower than, or the same as an earlier stored print, and prints both. It does not compute a difference or a percent.

PeriodTotal nonfarm payrollsUnemployment rate
September 2026159,044 thousand4.20%
August 2026159,015 thousand4.10%
July 2026158,882 thousand4.10%
June 2026158,892 thousand4.20%
May 2026158,861 thousand4.30%
April 2026158,798 thousand4.30%
March 2026158,650 thousand4.30%
February 2026158,436 thousand4.40%
January 2026158,592 thousand4.30%
December 2025158,432 thousand4.40%
November 2025158,449 thousand4.50%
October 2025158,408 thousand

What the jobs report is, in plain English

The jobs report is the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly Employment Situation. Two numbers lead it. Total nonfarm payrolls is a count of jobs at businesses and government, published in thousands of persons, and it leaves out farm work. The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force that has no job and is actively looking for one.

The headline figure in news reports is usually the change in payrolls from the month before. This paper prints the level as published and does not compute that change. The Bureau prints it in the release.

Congress has given the Federal Reserve two goals: maximum employment and stable prices. Employment data is one of the things the Federal Open Market Committee weighs, along with inflation, when it sets the federal funds rate.

Nonfarm payrolls
A count of paid jobs outside agriculture, from a survey of employers.
Unemployment rate
The share of the labor force without a job that is looking for work, from a survey of households.
Labor force
People who have a job or are looking for one.

Jobs report questions answered

What is the latest jobs report?

Total nonfarm payrolls stood at 159,044 thousand for September 2026 and the unemployment rate was 4.20% for September 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, via GOVSPENDING.ORG.

What is the unemployment rate?

It is the share of the labor force that has no job and is actively looking for one, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ household survey.

What are nonfarm payrolls?

They are a count of paid jobs at businesses and government agencies, not counting farm work, from the Bureau’s survey of employers.

Why does the Fed care about the jobs report?

Congress gave the Fed a goal of maximum employment alongside stable prices, so labor market data is one input to rate decisions.

When is the jobs report released?

Monthly, usually on the first Friday, for the month before. The period for the latest print is shown beside each figure.