How many jobs were added in North Dakota last month?
Refreshed monthly
North Dakota gained 500 jobs in May 2026, ranking it 36th 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 563 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+500
month to month change in number of jobs (May 2026)
36th
rank among states in monthly job growth (May 2026)
North Dakota’s job gain of 500 May 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was up from the 2,100 loss in April 2026.
During the latest five year period (June 2021 to May 2026), North Dakota gained jobs in 39 out of 60 months. May 2026 had the 29th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in January 2023 (+3,800) while job growth was weakest in April 2026 (-2,100).
There were 500 more jobs in May 2026 in North Dakota than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, June 2021–May 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which North Dakota 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 accommodation and food services, mining and logging, and health care and social assistance. Accommodation and food services added 400 jobs, more than the entire economy. Mining and logging gained 200 jobs, while health care and social assistance added 200. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
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The health care and social assistance sector gained 200 jobs during May 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in North Dakota (May 2026)
How does North Dakota's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?
In 2025, North Dakota lost an average of 258 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 383, and the fourth-lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fourth-lowest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 2,100 on average every month in 2015 to a gain of 2,300 on average every month in 2011.
In 2025, North Dakota lost an average of 258 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among four metro areas primarily in North Dakota during May 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Minot, ND area to a gain of 300 jobs in the Fargo, ND area metro area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within North Dakota
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +300 | |
| 2. | +100 | |
| 3. | +0 | |
| 4. | -100 |
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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.
