July 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 July Jobs Day analysis is below.

• From June to July, the unemployment rate for Black workers decreased from 6.6 percent to 6.3 percent.
• In July 2025, the unemployment rate for Black workers was 1.1 percentage points higher at 7.2 percent. 
• From June to July, the number of Black workers employed decreased by 123,000.  
• From June to July, the unemployment rate for Black men decreased from 7 percent to 6.7 percent. 
• The unemployment rate for Black women decreased from 6.2 percent to 5.8 percent. 
• From June to July, the unemployment rate for young Black workers decreased from 16.6 percent to 12 percent. The overall unemployment rate for all young workers also decreased from 10.7 percent to 9.1 percent. 
• In July, the overall unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, while the Black unemployment rate was 6.3 percent. 
• At 6.3 percent, the Black unemployment rate remains the highest among all racial groups, compared to 3.6 percent for White workers, 4.6 percent for Hispanic workers, and 4 percent for Asian workers.
• The U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, a sharp weakening from June’s revised gain of just 20,000 and well below economists’ expectations of an 80,000 increase. May and June job gains were also revised down by a combined 103,000 jobs, adding to signs that the labor market has slowed considerably. The overall unemployment rate edged down from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent, but the labor force participation rate also declined to 61.4 percent as more workers left the labor force.
• For Black workers, several unemployment measures improved in July, but the employment picture remained concerning. The Black unemployment rate fell from 6.6 percent to 6.3 percent, while the number of Black workers employed decreased by 123,000. Black men saw their unemployment rate decline from 7 percent to 6.7 percent, while the rate for Black women fell from 6.2 percent to 5.8 percent. Young Black workers experienced the largest improvement, with unemployment falling from 16.6 percent to 12 percent. Despite these declines, Black unemployment is 6.3 percent, which is well above the overall unemployment rate of 4.1 percent and continues to be the highest among major racial groups, compared with 3.6 percent for White workers, 4.6 percent for Hispanic workers, and 4 percent for Asian workers.