How many jobs were added in Alabama last month?
Refreshed monthly
Alabama gained 5,900 jobs in August 2026, ranking it eighth 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 2,800 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+5.9K
month to month change in number of jobs (August 2026)
8th
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
Alabama’s job gain of 5,900 in August 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was up from the 200 lost jobs in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), Alabama gained jobs in 46 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the 10th-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 5,900 more jobs in August 2026 in Alabama than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Alabama sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were accommodation and food services, administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, and non-durable goods. Accommodation and food services added 3,400 jobs, more than the entire economy. Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services gained 1,200 jobs, while non-durable goods added 1,000. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were construction, retail trade, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Construction lost 700 jobs in August 2026, while retail trade lost 700 jobs and transportation, warehousing, and utilities lost 300 jobs.
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The retail trade sector lost 700 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Alabama (August 2026)
How has Alabama's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Alabama gained an average of 367 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,242, and the lowest since 2020. 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 4,200 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 August 2026 ranged from a loss of 200 jobs in the Daphne, AL area to a gain of 3,100 jobs in the Birmingham, AL 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. | +3,100 | |
| 2. | +1,200 | |
| 3. | +400 | |
| 4. | +300 | |
| 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.
