United States
Economy
Jobs, prices, paychecks, and growth — the official numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, and the Federal Reserve, nationally since the 1940s and by state.
Unemployment rate since 1948
Monthly, seasonally adjusted · shaded: recessions
Source: BLS via FRED
At a glance
Unemployment rate
4.2%
Seasonally adjusted
Sep 2026
Inflation
3.7%
Consumer prices, past 12 months
Sep 2026
Payroll jobs
159M
+496K over 12 months
Sep 2026
Median household income
$87.5K
Adjusted for inflation
2025
▲ +2.6% vs 2024
Key findings
- Unemployment was 4.2% in Sep 2026, against an average of 5.7% since 1948 and a peak of 14.8% in Apr 2020.
- Payroll employment grew by 496K in the 12 months to Sep 2026, to 159M jobs.
- Consumer prices rose 3.7% in the 12 months to Sep 2026; the highest rate in the past decade was 9.0% in Jun 2022.
- Average hourly pay rose 3.0% in the year to Sep 2026, behind prices at 3.7%.
- Real median household income was $87,460 in 2025 (+2.6% on the year, +17.3% on 2015).
- Real GDP grew at an annual rate of 2.2% in Q2 2026.
- The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. Adjusted for inflation, it was highest in 1968, at $14.43 in 2024 dollars.
Jobs
How many Americans are working, and how many want work but can't find it?
The unemployment rate counts people without a job who looked for one in the past four weeks, as a share of everyone working or looking. People who have stopped looking are not counted as unemployed, so the share of prime-age adults (25–54) with a job is a useful second measure. Shaded bands are recessions as dated by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Nonfarm payroll jobs
Seasonally adjusted, since 1970
Source: BLS via FRED
Who is working
Share of the population
- Labor force participation, 16+
- Employed, ages 25–54
Source: BLS via FRED
Prices
How fast are prices rising?
Inflation here is the change in the Consumer Price Index over the previous 12 months. Core inflation leaves out food and energy, whose prices swing more. The Federal Reserve targets 2% inflation, measured with a related index (PCE).
Inflation since 1960
12-month change in consumer prices
- All items
- Excluding food and energy
Source: BLS via FRED
Wages and income
Are paychecks keeping up with prices?
Wage growth against inflation
12-month change, private-sector hourly pay and consumer prices
- Average hourly earnings
- Consumer prices
Source: BLS via FRED
Real median weekly earnings
Full-time workers, in 1982–84 dollars
Source: BLS via FRED
Real median household income
Adjusted for inflation to latest-year dollars
Source: Census Bureau via FRED
Growth, interest rates, and confidence
How fast is the economy growing, what does borrowing cost, and how do consumers feel?
Real GDP growth
Quarterly, at an annual rate, since 2000
Source: BEA via FRED
Real GDP per person
Chained 2017 dollars
Source: BEA via FRED
Federal funds rate
The Fed's policy rate, monthly average
Source: Federal Reserve via FRED
Consumer sentiment
University of Michigan index, 1966 = 100
Source: University of Michigan via FRED
Minimum wage
What is the minimum wage worth, and how much higher do states set it?
The federal minimum applies everywhere; states and some cities set higher ones. Five states (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee) have no minimum wage law of their own, and a few set rates below the federal level, so the federal $7.25 applies there.
Federal minimum wage
Per hour, nominal and adjusted for inflation
- Federal minimum wage
- In 2024 dollars
Source: Department of Labor via FRED
Highest minimum wages
States, per hour, January 1
- District of Columbia$18.40
- Washington$17.13
- New York$17.00
- Connecticut$16.94
- California$16.90
- Oregon$16.80
- Hawaii$16.00
- Rhode Island$16.00
- New Jersey$15.92
- Colorado$15.16
Source: Department of Labor via FRED
Across the states
How do the states compare? Pick a measure to map it; sort the table by any column.
Highest unemployment
States, latest month
- District of Columbia5.7%
- California5.1%
- Connecticut5.1%
- Oregon5.1%
- Michigan5.0%
- Arizona4.9%
- Washington4.9%
- Nevada4.8%
- Delaware4.7%
- Illinois4.7%
Source: BLS via FRED
Highest median household income
States
- District of Columbia$109.7K
- Massachusetts$104.8K
- New Jersey$104.3K
- Maryland$102.9K
- Hawaii$100.7K
- California$100.1K
- New Hampshire$99.8K
- Washington$99.4K
- Colorado$97.1K
- Utah$96.7K
Source: American Community Survey 1-year
Unemployment rate
Aug 2026 · BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Seasonally adjusted, latest month.
- 2.0% – 3.2%
- 3.2% – 3.4%
- 3.4% – 3.6%
- 3.6% – 4.1%
- 4.1% – 4.3%
- 4.3% – 4.7%
- 4.7% – 5.7%
Shades split states into sevenths by rank.
View and sort the full state data table
| Aug 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | 2026 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 5.7% | 6.3% | $109,707 | $119,772 | 17.3% | $18.40 | $18.40 |
| California | 5.1% | 5.5% | $100,149 | $90,957 | 11.8% | $16.90 | $16.90 |
| Connecticut | 5.1% | 3.9% | $96,049 | $102,307 | 10.2% | $16.94 | $16.94 |
| Oregon | 5.1% | 5.2% | $85,220 | $73,283 | 11.8% | $16.80 | $16.80 |
| Michigan | 5.0% | 5.1% | $72,389 | $67,245 | 13.5% | $13.73 | $13.73 |
| Arizona | 4.9% | 4.3% | $81,486 | $68,373 | 11.7% | $15.15 | $15.15 |
| Washington | 4.9% | 4.6% | $99,389 | $88,944 | 9.9% | $17.13 | $17.13 |
| Nevada | 4.8% | 5.3% | $81,134 | $73,767 | 11.6% | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Delaware | 4.7% | 4.7% | $87,534 | $68,630 | 9.6% | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Illinois | 4.7% | 4.5% | $83,211 | $78,987 | 11.6% | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Kentucky | 4.7% | 4.6% | $64,526 | $60,835 | 15.6% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| New Mexico | 4.7% | 4.1% | $67,816 | $62,089 | 16.4% | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Florida | 4.5% | 3.9% | $77,735 | $78,345 | 12.1% | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Minnesota | 4.4% | 3.8% | $87,117 | $78,197 | 9.3% | $11.41 | $11.41 |
| Texas | 4.4% | 4.2% | $79,721 | $73,156 | 13.4% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Alaska | 4.3% | 4.6% | $95,665 | $80,510 | 10.2% | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Massachusetts | 4.3% | 4.5% | $104,828 | $98,700 | 9.7% | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| New Jersey | 4.3% | 5.3% | $104,294 | $89,720 | 9.2% | $15.92 | $15.92 |
| New York | 4.3% | 4.3% | $85,820 | $91,504 | 14.0% | $17.00 | $17.00 |
| Oklahoma | 4.3% | 3.3% | $66,148 | $66,055 | 14.9% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Louisiana | 4.2% | 4.3% | $60,986 | $64,103 | 18.7% | $7.25 | — |
| Maryland | 4.1% | 4.0% | $102,905 | $82,387 | 9.1% | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| South Carolina | 4.1% | 4.4% | $72,350 | $63,435 | 13.3% | $7.25 | — |
| Colorado | 4.0% | 4.0% | $97,113 | $86,342 | 9.6% | $15.16 | $15.16 |
| West Virginia | 4.0% | 4.1% | $60,798 | $58,217 | 16.7% | $8.75 | $8.75 |
| Arkansas | 3.9% | 4.0% | $62,106 | $61,697 | 15.5% | $11.00 | $11.00 |
| Kansas | 3.8% | 3.8% | $75,514 | $69,149 | 10.9% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Pennsylvania | 3.7% | 4.3% | $77,545 | $75,370 | 11.6% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Rhode Island | 3.7% | 4.4% | $83,504 | $75,233 | 12.2% | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Idaho | 3.6% | 3.6% | $81,166 | $64,200 | 10.5% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Virginia | 3.6% | 3.3% | $92,090 | $80,903 | 9.8% | $12.77 | $12.77 |
| Missouri | 3.5% | 4.0% | $71,589 | $69,836 | 12.3% | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| North Carolina | 3.5% | 3.8% | $73,958 | $68,274 | 12.6% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Utah | 3.5% | 3.5% | $96,658 | $70,323 | 8.3% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Alabama | 3.4% | 2.9% | $66,659 | $59,754 | 15.2% | $7.25 | — |
| Mississippi | 3.4% | 3.8% | $59,127 | $54,433 | 17.8% | $7.25 | — |
| Tennessee | 3.4% | 3.5% | $71,997 | $69,274 | 13.5% | $7.25 | — |
| Indiana | 3.3% | 3.7% | $71,959 | $66,455 | 12.2% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Ohio | 3.3% | 4.6% | $72,212 | $67,584 | 12.7% | $11.00 | $11.00 |
| Georgia | 3.2% | 3.4% | $79,991 | $65,111 | 12.6% | $7.25 | — |
| Iowa | 3.2% | 3.5% | $75,501 | $67,321 | 11.3% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Maine | 3.2% | 3.3% | $76,442 | $71,742 | 10.6% | $15.10 | $15.10 |
| Montana | 3.2% | 3.3% | $75,340 | $72,066 | 10.2% | $10.85 | $10.85 |
| Wisconsin | 3.2% | 3.2% | $77,488 | $71,219 | 10.3% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Wyoming | 3.0% | 3.3% | $75,532 | $91,109 | 10.1% | $7.25 | — |
| Nebraska | 2.9% | 2.9% | $76,376 | $76,055 | 10.9% | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| New Hampshire | 2.8% | 3.1% | $99,782 | $88,145 | 7.2% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| Hawaii | 2.7% | 2.3% | $100,745 | $76,966 | 10.0% | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Vermont | 2.6% | 2.6% | $82,730 | $75,723 | 9.0% | $14.42 | $14.42 |
| North Dakota | 2.2% | 2.6% | $77,871 | $77,438 | 11.1% | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| South Dakota | 2.0% | 2.1% | $76,881 | $78,999 | 10.4% | $11.85 | $11.85 |
Sources and methods
Every figure on this page comes from the datasets below.
economy
U.S. Economic Indicators
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), from BLS, BEA, Census, the Federal Reserve, and the University of Michigan
Used here for: every national chart, plus state unemployment, per capita income, and minimum wages
Monthly · 1939 – Q2 2026 · 23,511 values
Last refreshed Oct 14, 2026
demographics
Language, Education, and Income (ACS 1-year)
U.S. Census Bureau
Used here for: median household income and poverty by state
Annual (each September) · 2008 – 2024 · 6,720 values
Last refreshed Oct 12, 2026
Federal taxes, spending, and debt are on Government Spending; home prices and rents on Housing. Browse all datasets