EconomyUnemployment Rate Rises to 4.2% in September 2026News Paper Joint
Unemployment Rate by State
Data updated Oct 28, 2026 · 6:02 AM EDT
New Jersey Unemployment Rate
Seasonally adjusted · September 2026 · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
▼ 0.1 pts vs prior month
US Rate
4.2%
Same as national
A Year Ago
5.5%
▼ 1.3 pts since
National Rank
#32
of 51 (1 = lowest)
Snapshot
New Jersey's unemployment rate was 4.2% in September 2026, down from 4.3% the month before, compared with 4.2% nationally. That ranks New Jersey 32 out of 51 states (including DC), where 1 is the lowest rate.
Two-Year Trend
New Jersey U.S.Lowest & Highest Unemployment
| State | Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest #1 | South Dakota | 2.0% |
| Lowest #2 | North Dakota | 2.2% |
| Lowest #3 | New Hampshire | 2.6% |
| Lowest #4 | Vermont | 2.6% |
| Lowest #5 | Hawaii | 2.8% |
| Highest #1 | District of Columbia | 5.6% |
| Highest #2 | Connecticut | 5.1% |
| Highest #3 | California | 5.1% |
| Highest #4 | Oregon | 5.0% |
| Highest #5 | Michigan | 5.0% |
Monthly History
| Month | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| August 2026 | 4.3% | 4.1% |
| July 2026 | 4.4% | 4.1% |
| June 2026 | 4.5% | 4.2% |
| May 2026 | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| April 2026 | 4.8% | 4.3% |
| March 2026 | 4.9% | 4.3% |
| February 2026 | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| January 2026 | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| December 2025 | 5.4% | 4.4% |
| November 2025 | 5.4% | 4.5% |
| September 2025 | 5.5% | 4.4% |
Latest Unemployment News
All news →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the unemployment rate in New Jersey?
4.2% (seasonally adjusted) for September 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
When is new state unemployment data released?
BLS publishes state unemployment rates monthly, usually about two weeks after the national jobs report. This page checks for new numbers every day.
Data source & method: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). Data updated Oct 28, 2026 · 6:02 AM EDT. This page refreshes automatically; figures are shown exactly as published by the source. How we source data.