NJ!JOBS=LAUS(34)
New Jersey: jobs and unemployment
Unemployment, employment and the labor force in New Jersey from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS LAUSLatest month: September 2026
Unemployment, September 20264.2%#32 of 51 · #1 = lowest
Annual average, 20255.2%US 4.3%, weighted by labor force
Labor force, 20254.91M+0.1% on a year earlier
Employed, 20254.65M257,134 unemployed
Labor forceEmployed
| Year | Unemployment rate | Labor force | Employed | Unemployed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.2% | 4,905,633 | 4,648,499 | 257,134 | |
| 2024 | 4.6% | 4,899,384 | 4,672,089 | 227,295 | |
| 2023 | 4.3% | 4,879,285 | 4,668,296 | 210,989 | |
| 2022 | 3.9% | 4,771,781 | 4,586,675 | 185,106 | |
| 2021 | 6.7% | 4,674,518 | 4,361,147 | 313,371 | |
| 2020 | 9.5% | 4,643,700 | 4,204,301 | 439,399 | |
| 2019 | 3.5% | 4,693,206 | 4,529,991 | 163,215 | |
| 2018 | 4.0% | 4,607,436 | 4,423,016 | 184,420 | |
| 2017 | 4.5% | 4,612,037 | 4,403,654 | 208,383 | |
| 2016 | 4.9% | 4,612,876 | 4,384,980 | 227,896 | |
| 2015 | 5.7% | 4,596,855 | 4,334,055 | 262,800 | |
| 2014 | 6.7% | 4,573,112 | 4,267,323 | 305,789 | |
| 2013 | 8.4% | 4,594,340 | 4,207,084 | 387,256 | |
| 2012 | 9.4% | 4,628,608 | 4,191,480 | 437,128 | |
| 2011 | 9.4% | 4,598,213 | 4,166,134 | 432,079 | |
| 2010 | 9.7% | 4,586,241 | 4,142,277 | 443,964 | |
| 2009 | 8.9% | 4,572,772 | 4,167,938 | 404,834 | |
| 2008 | 5.4% | 4,521,751 | 4,277,489 | 244,262 | |
| 2007 | 4.2% | 4,458,637 | 4,271,086 | 187,551 | |
| 2006 | 4.7% | 4,460,951 | 4,252,563 | 208,388 | |
| 2005 | 4.4% | 4,407,346 | 4,211,307 | 196,039 | |
| 2004 | 4.9% | 4,365,437 | 4,150,754 | 214,683 | |
| 2003 | 5.8% | 4,358,194 | 4,103,903 | 254,291 | |
| 2002 | 5.8% | 4,354,232 | 4,102,634 | 251,598 | |
| 2001 | 4.2% | 4,294,647 | 4,113,262 | 181,385 | |
| 2000 | 3.7% | 4,284,409 | 4,127,066 | 157,343 | |
| 1999 | 4.4% | 4,279,606 | 4,089,537 | 190,069 | |
| 1998 | 4.6% | 4,230,400 | 4,036,346 | 194,054 | |
| 1997 | 5.3% | 4,248,300 | 4,022,575 | 225,725 | |
| 1996 | 6.1% | 4,181,706 | 3,925,777 | 255,929 | |
| 1995 | 6.4% | 4,112,929 | 3,849,223 | 263,706 | |
| 1994 | 6.8% | 4,063,016 | 3,784,729 | 278,287 | |
| 1993 | 7.8% | 4,037,852 | 3,724,389 | 313,463 | |
| 1992 | 8.5% | 4,064,349 | 3,716,982 | 347,367 | |
| 1991 | 6.8% | 4,060,770 | 3,785,998 | 274,772 | |
| 1990 | 5.1% | 4,053,479 | 3,848,220 | 205,259 | |
| 1989 | 4.0% | 3,976,203 | 3,815,487 | 160,716 | |
| 1988 | 3.8% | 3,954,498 | 3,805,562 | 148,936 | |
| 1987 | 4.0% | 3,940,888 | 3,781,476 | 159,412 | |
| 1986 | 5.0% | 3,888,814 | 3,693,156 | 195,658 | |
| 1985 | 5.6% | 3,823,473 | 3,608,207 | 215,266 | |
| 1984 | 6.3% | 3,800,210 | 3,560,513 | 239,697 | |
| 1983 | 8.3% | 3,695,308 | 3,390,087 | 305,221 | |
| 1982 | 8.8% | 3,635,940 | 3,317,248 | 318,692 | |
| 1981 | 7.5% | 3,607,497 | 3,336,698 | 270,799 | |
| 1980 | 7.1% | 3,583,732 | 3,329,317 | 254,415 | |
| 1979 | 6.8% | 3,560,961 | 3,317,384 | 243,577 | |
| 1978 | 7.3% | 3,461,135 | 3,209,835 | 251,300 | |
| 1977 | 9.3% | 3,386,590 | 3,070,037 | 316,553 | |
| 1976 | 10.4% | 3,321,131 | 2,975,947 | 345,184 |
BLS LAUS: monthly rates are seasonally adjusted; annual averages are not seasonally adjusted.