October 2026 Jobs Day Analysis

The Joint Center analyzes unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and shows how these numbers affect Black workers. Our October Jobs Day analysis is below.

• From September to October, the unemployment rate for Black workers decreased from 7.0 percent to 6.6 percent.
• Unemployment data was not provided for October 2025 due to the U.S. government shutdown, therefore a comparison with October 2026 is not possible.
• From September to October, the number of Black workers employed decreased by 56,000.
• In October, the overall unemployment rate was 4.1 percent.
• At 6.6 percent, the Black unemployment rate remains the highest among all racial groups, compared to 3.7 percent for white workers, 4.7 percent for Hispanic workers, and 2.8 percent for Asian workers. 

• From September to October, the unemployment rate for Black men decreased from 6.7 percent to 5.9 percent, the lowest since May 2025 (5.7 percent).
• The unemployment rate for Black women decreased from 7.3 percent to 7.2 percent.

• From September to October, the unemployment rate for young Black workers decreased from 14.4 percent to 13.1 percent. The overall unemployment rate for all young workers also decreased from 10 percent to 9 percent. 

The U.S. economy added 165,000 jobs in October, and the overall unemployment rate edged down from 4.2 percent in September to 4.1 percent. The Black unemployment rate also declined, from 7 percent to 6.6 percent, reversing part of September’s sharp increase. The decline was particularly pronounced among Black men, whose unemployment rate fell from 6.7 percent to 5.9 percent, while the rate for Black women decreased only slightly, from 7.3 percent to 7.2 percent. Unemployment among young Black workers also declined from 14.4 percent to 13.1 percent. However, the decline in Black unemployment masks troubling developments. The number of employed Black workers fell by 56,000, while both the labor force participation rate and the employment-to-population ratio declined. At the same time, the number of Black Americans outside the labor force increased. At 6.6 percent, Black unemployment remains the highest among major racial and ethnic groups, compared with 3.7 percent for white workers, 4.7 percent for Hispanic workers, and 2.8 percent for Asian workers. These trends suggest that October’s lower unemployment rate does not necessarily mean more Black workers are finding jobs or that employment opportunities are improving.