Vermont’s unemployment rate held at 2.6 percent in April

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine

Today, the Vermont Department of Labor released the April 2026 seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate, which was unchanged at 2.6%. This was the result of the Labor Force and Number of Employed both falling significantly. The civilian labor force participation rate was 62.7 percent in April, a decrease of two-tenths of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate.

The comparable United States rate in April was 4.3 percent, no change from the revised March estimate. Vermont has the fourth lowest jobless rate in the nation. The lowest is South Dakota at 2.2% and the highest is a tie among California, Delaware and Nevada at 5.3%.

“The size of Vermont’s labor force continues to steadily decline even as higher costs put pressure on household budgets across the state. While the Department can’t solve those broader economic challenges, we can support individuals looking to increase their income,” said Kendal Smith, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor. “For some, this may mean working with a Workforce Development specialist to assess skills and identify opportunities with higher earnings potential. For others with some extra time, they may need support finding a solid part-time job to supplement household income. Individuals and employers alike are encouraged to contact the Department at https://labor.vermont.gov/workforce-development to learn more about how we can work together.”

The seasonally adjusted Vermont data for April show the Vermont civilian labor force decreased by 1,378 from the prior month’s revised estimate (see Table 1). The number of employed persons decreased by 1,365 and the number of unemployed persons decreased by 13. The changes to the labor force and number of employed persons were statistically significant in the seasonally adjusted series. 

The April unemployment rates for Vermont’s 14 counties ranged from 2.2 percent in Chittenden County to 5.3 percent in Orleans County (note: county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted – see Table 2). For comparison, the April unadjusted unemployment rate for Vermont was 2.8 percent, an increase of two-tenths of one percentage point from the revised unadjusted March level and no change from a year ago.

Seasonally Adjusted (Table 3) 

The seasonally adjusted data for April reported a decrease of 900 jobs from the revised March data. There was a decrease of 300 jobs between the preliminary and the revised March estimates due to the inclusion of more data. The seasonally-adjusted over-the-month changes in April varied at the industry level. There were no industries with a notable increase. The industries with a notable decrease were: Professional & Technical Services (-700 jobs or -4.0%), Accommodation & Food Services (-500 jobs or -1.6%), and Construction (-200 jobs or -1.2%). 

Not-Seasonally-Adjusted (Table 4) 

The preliminary ‘not-seasonally-adjusted’ jobs estimates for April showed a decrease of 2,000 jobs when compared to the revised March numbers. As with the seasonally adjusted data, this over-the-month change is from the revised March numbers which experienced no change from the preliminary estimates. The broader economic picture can be seen by focusing on the over the-year changes in this data series. As detailed in the preliminary not-seasonally-adjusted April data, Total Private industries decreased by 700 jobs (-0.3%) over the year and Government (including public education) employment decreased by 400 jobs (-0.7%) in the past year.

Last Modified Date: May 22, 2026

*** BLS note on CES series drops in 2026: https://www.bls.gov/sae/notices/2026/notice-of publication-changes-with-the-release-of-April-2026-data.htm *** 

The Unemployment and Jobs Report for May is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Source: 5.22.2026. Vermont DOL.

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Vermont Business Magazine