Connecticut Labor Market Information - Office of Research

Connecticut Labor Market Information - Office of Research

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Labor Market Information - Connecticut, Employment Sectors & United States Nonfarm Employment

  State of Connecticut, Employment Sectors & United States Nonfarm Employment

 Last Updated: April 7th, 2026
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Connecticut's nonfarm payrolls added 5,300 jobs (0.3%) in January 2026, to a level of 1,722,300 (preliminary, seasonally adjusted data) to a level 5,500 jobs above one year ago. The unemployment rate rose two-tenths of a percentage point to 4.5%. The statewide jobless rate is now up a nine-tenths of a percentage point since January 2025 (3.6%). The Connecticut December 2025 nonfarm job number was a small 400 estimated gain (0.02%) on the new benchmark after indicating a small 500 decline (-0.03%) on the preliminary release in the prior benchmark. Connecticut has risen above the U.S. unemployment rate (currently 4.3% for January 2026) for the first time since January 2023 This labor statistics release presents current estimated data from two different monthly surveys (businesses and households) produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in association with the states. This is newly benchmarked data.
Connecticut's Private Sector employment was higher by 5,000 positions (0.3%) in January 2026 at 1,487,000 and is up by 6,900 jobs (0.5%) from the January 2025 level. The December 2025 private sector job revision disclosed a 200 job gain (0.01%) on the new benchmark (previous estimate was a 1,000 loss). The full government supersector was also higher by 300 (0.1%) in January to a level of 235,300 jobs but is now lower by 1,400 (-0.6%) positions over the year. Federal government employment in Connecticut is down 1,200 jobs from the January 2025 level. Connecticut's total government supersector consists of all civilian federal, state, local, and tribal government employment, including public education and Native American casino jobs located on federally recognized tribal reservations.

Nine of the ten major industry supersectors gained jobs in January 2026, while one supersector declined.

The nine industry supersectors that increased employment in January 2026 included:

The single industry supersector that declined jobs in January 2026 was:


NONFARM  EMPLOYMENT
Jobs - by Place of Work
CONNECTICUT AND THE UNITED STATES - Seasonally Adjusted
January December November October January Over Month Over Year
 2026 P 2025 R 2025 R 2025 2025 Change Rate   Change  Rate  
CONNECTICUT 1,722,300 1,717,000 1,716,600 1,716,000 1,716,800 5,300 0.3% 5,500 0.3%
Total Private 1,487,000 1,482,000 1,481,800 1,480,700 1,480,100 5,000 0.3% 6,900 0.5%
Goods Producing Industries
  Mining 500 500 500 500 400 0 0.0% 100 25.0%
  Construction   65,300 64,800 64,800 64,100 63,700 500 0.8%   1,600 2.5%
  Manufacturing 152,000 151,200 151,800 151,500 154,200 800 0.5% -2,200 -1.4%
    Durable Goods   118,700 118,200 118,300 117,800 120,600 500 0.4%   -1,900 -1.6%
    Nondurable Goods 33,300 33,000 33,500 33,700 33,600 300 0.9% -300 -0.9%
Service Providing Industries
  Trade, Transportation & Utilities 297,700 296,300 296,300 297,700 298,300 1,400 0.5%   -600 -0.2%
    Wholesale 59,700 59,700 59,600 59,800 60,200 0 0.0% -500 -0.8%
    Retail     162,800 162,900 163,900 163,800 164,700 -100 -0.1%   -1,900 -1.2%
    Transp, Warehousing & Utilities 75,200 73,700 72,800 74,100 73,400 1,500 2.0% 1,800 2.5%
  Information   30,300 30,100 30,000 30,100 30,700 200 0.7%   -400 -1.3%
  Financial Activities 117,100 117,300 117,500 117,600 116,900 -200 -0.2% 200 0.2%
    Finance & Insurance   97,400 97,600 97,800 97,900 97,500 -200 -0.2%   -100 -0.1%
    Real Estate, Rental & Leasing 19,700 19,700 19,700 19,700 19,400 0 0.0% 300 1.5%
  Professional & Business Services 222,400 221,300 220,700 221,300 221,200 1,100 0.5%   1,200 0.5%
    Prof, Scientific & Tech Services 102,100 101,500 101,300 101,500 102,500 600 0.6% -400 -0.4%
    Management of Companies  30,600 30,000 30,100 30,300 30,700 600 2.0%   -100 -0.3%
    Admn & Support & Waste Mgt Serv 89,700 89,800 89,300 89,500 88,000 -100 -0.1% 1,700 1.9%
  Educational & Health Services 380,500 379,800 379,500 377,300 374,800 700 0.2%   5,700 1.5%
    Private Educational Services 74,300 75,000 74,900 75,300 75,200 -700 -0.9% -900 -1.2%
    Health Care & Social Assistance 306,200 304,800 304,600 302,000 299,600 1,400 0.5%   6,600 2.2%
  Leisure and Hospitality 156,000 155,900 156,300 156,100 155,200 100 0.1% 800 0.5%
    Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 29,500 29,600 29,200 28,600 28,900 -100 -0.3%   600 2.1%
    Accommodation & Food Services 126,500 126,300 127,100 127,500 126,300 200 0.2% 200 0.2%
  Other Services   65,200 64,800 64,400 64,500 64,700 400 0.6%   500 0.8%
  Government** 235,300 235,000 234,800 235,300 236,700 300 0.1% -1,400 -0.6%
UNITED STATES  158,627,000 158,497,000 158,449,000 158,408,000 158,268,000 130,000 0.1% 359,000 0.2%
State of Connecticut Department of Labor - Office of Research, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109
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