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Economic indicators and analysis. Latest reviewed coverage: October 2026 U.S. employment and earnings.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 6, 2026 archived release for October 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 | 4.1 | 2026-10-31 | 2026-10 · percent · seasonally adjusted |
| Monthly payroll change | 165 | 2026-10-31 | 2026-10 · thousand jobs · seasonally adjusted |
| Labor force participation | 61.9 | 2026-10-31 | 2026-10 · percent · seasonally adjusted |
| Employment-population ratio | 59.3 | 2026-10-31 | 2026-10 · percent · seasonally adjusted |
| Average hourly earnings | 38 | 2026-10-31 | 2026-10 · USD/hour · seasonally adjusted |
| Average workweek | 34.4 | 2026-10-31 | 2026-10 · hours/week · seasonally adjusted |
The November 6 release recorded a 165,000 increase in nonfarm payroll employment and a 4.1 percent unemployment rate for October 2026. The payroll change comes from establishments; the unemployment rate comes from households. A job count and a percentage of the labor force should not be treated as the same measure.
Source · 2026-10-31Labor force participation was 61.9 percent and the employment-population ratio was 59.3 percent. These population-based measures help distinguish employment and labor-force changes. They do not provide a direct estimate of consumer spending or company sales.
Source · 2026-10-31Average hourly earnings were $38.00 and the average private-sector workweek was 34.4 hours. Earnings are nominal workforce averages and can be influenced by the mix of jobs. They are not an individual wage offer or a measure of inflation-adjusted purchasing power.
Source · 2026-10-31The November release revised September payroll growth to 60,000 from the earlier 29,000 estimate. This edition preserves the latest November release vintage rather than mixing figures from the previous snapshot. Preliminary establishment observations can change again in later releases.
Source · 2026-10-31