How many jobs were added in Alabama last month?
Refreshed monthly
Alabama gained 6,300 jobs in May 2026, ranking it ninth among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 3,000 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+6.3K
month to month change in number of jobs (May 2026)
9th
rank among states in monthly job growth (May 2026)
May 2026's gain of 6,300 jobs was the 3rd consecutive month of positive job growth in Alabama. Monthly job growth was up from the 3,600 new jobs in April 2026.
During the latest five year period (June 2021 to May 2026), Alabama gained jobs in 46 out of 60 months. May 2026 had the 11th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in July 2022 (+15,200) while job growth was weakest in June 2025 (-3,400).
There were 6,300 more jobs in May 2026 in Alabama than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, June 2021–May 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Alabama sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in May 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in May 2026 were construction, arts, entertainment, and recreation, and health care and social assistance. Construction added 2,800 jobs, more than the entire economy. Arts, entertainment, and recreation gained 1,200 jobs, while health care and social assistance added 1,100 jobs. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
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The retail trade sector gained 700 jobs during May 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Alabama (May 2026)
How does Alabama's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?
In 2025, Alabama gained an average of 367 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,200, and the lowest since 2024. The 2025 average ranks as 15th-highest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 7,300 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 4,100 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Alabama gained an average of 367 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among 12 metro areas primarily in Alabama during May 2026 ranged from a loss of 200 jobs in the Daphne, AL area to a gain of 1,800 jobs in the Birmingham, AL area metro area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Alabama
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +1,800 | |
| 2. | +1,100 | |
| 3. | +700 | |
| 4. | +500 | |
| 5. | +300 | |
| 6. | +200 | |
| 7. | +200 | |
| 8. | +100 | |
| 9. | +100 | |
| 10. | +0 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
