Utah's economy added an estimated 25,200 jobs over the past 12 months, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services, while the state's unemployment rate held steady at 3.6% through July 2026. The job growth brings Utah's total nonfarm payroll employment to 1,778,300, according to data released by the Department of Workforce Services on Aug. 21, 2026.
Private Sector Growth Trends
Utah's private sector employment saw a year-over-year expansion of 1.9%, representing a 28,900-job increase, the Utah Department of Workforce Services reported on Aug. 21, 2026. This growth occurred despite what officials described as headwinds such as constrained hiring rates and slowing labor force growth.
Ben Crabb, chief economist with the Utah Department of Workforce Services, said the state's labor market continues to demonstrate resilience through job growth and low unemployment. Crabb noted that employers across major industrial sectors continue to expand their payrolls even as economic pressures persist, according to a report from the Department of Workforce Services.
Industrial Sector Performance
The expansion in Utah was driven largely by several key industries. According to the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the largest year-over-year gains were found in professional and business services with 11,400 jobs, followed by education and health services with 5,900 jobs, and construction with 4,300 jobs.
Conversely, certain sectors in the state experienced declines over the 12-month period. The Information sector lost 2,000 jobs, while the Natural Resources sector saw a decrease of 300 jobs, the Utah Department of Workforce Services reported.
Unemployment Rate Stability
The state's July unemployment rate of 3.6% remained unchanged from the level recorded in June, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services. This rate is lower than the national unemployment rate of 4.1%, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported was stable both over the month and over the year, according to a release from the Bureau on Aug. 21, 2026.
In Utah, approximately 64,800 residents were unemployed during the month of July, the Utah Department of Workforce Services reported.
National Economic Context
Nationally, the labor market showed mixed results in July 2026. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that unemployment rates were lower in 10 states and stable in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Twelve states experienced jobless rate increases from a year earlier, while 10 states and the District of Columbia saw decreases, and 28 states reported little change, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics release dated Aug. 21, 2026.
In the United States, the only state to report a nonfarm payroll employment increase in July was Maryland, which added 11,700 jobs. New Jersey was the only state to report a decrease, losing 25,600 jobs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
National Employment Shifts
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported significant year-over-year employment shifts across the country. The largest job gains occurred in Texas with 165,600 jobs, California with 112,700 jobs, and North Carolina with 51,600 jobs. The largest percentage increase in employment was recorded in Minnesota at 1.4%, followed by Louisiana and South Carolina, both at 1.3%, per the Bureau's Aug. 21, 2026, report.
On the other hand, the largest job losses occurred in Virginia, which lost 47,900 jobs, and the District of Columbia, which lost 31,500 jobs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
National Wage and Rate Data
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provided additional data regarding the national workforce in July 2026. The national unemployment rate was 4.1%, with 16 states reporting rates lower than that figure and 9 states reporting higher rates, according to the Bureau. South Dakota recorded the lowest jobless rate in the nation at 2.0%, while the District of Columbia reported the highest at 5.9%.
Regarding wage trends, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls were $37.62 in July, a change of 2 cents from the previous period. Over the year, these earnings increased by 3.2 percent, the Bureau reported.
Upcoming Economic Reports
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages on Aug. 28, 2026. This release will include preliminary benchmark revisions for March 2026 for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select metropolitan areas, the Bureau announced.
