Statistics · 2026 · Real Estate
Job Growth and Housing Statistics (2026)
223 of 384 U.S. metros added jobs over the year to August 2026, by BLS total nonfarm payroll counts (not seasonally adjusted, preliminary), and 141 lost them. Midland, TX grew fastest, at +3.3%, among metros with 100,000 or more jobs. Atlantic City, NJ fell furthest, at −3.1%. BLS calls 373 of 387 areas essentially unchanged; WealthyBud counts only the sign of each change.
Key takeaways
- Midland, TX had the fastest job growth, +3.3% from August 2025 to August 2026, among 209 metros with 100,000 or more jobs.
- 223 of 384 metros added jobs, 141 lost jobs and 20 were unchanged at one decimal; BLS calls 373 of 387 areas essentially unchanged, and WealthyBud counts only the sign of each change.
- New York, NY is the largest job market, with 10.03 million jobs.
- The fifth of metros with the fastest job growth had a higher median five-year FHFA price gain (52.6% against 48.2%) but a lower one-year list-price change (−2.46% against −0.48%), so it depends on the measure.
- That fifth also had higher median net migration per 1,000 residents (+3.6 against −1.2).
Which metros are adding jobs the fastest?
Midland, TX added jobs fastest, up +3.3% from August 2025 to August 2026, among 209 metros with 100,000 or more total nonfarm jobs. The ten leading places run down to +1.9%. These are not seasonally adjusted, preliminary BLS estimates that compare the same month in two years.
1. BLS metro payrolls: total nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted, August 2026
The BLS CES State and Metro Area program counts nonfarm payrolls. The Metropolitan Area release (September 30, 2026) titles its table “not seasonally adjusted” and marks August 2026 “(p) Preliminary.” Growth compares August 2026 with August 2025. 384 of 940 metros have a series; 556 show no jobs figure (WealthyBud data · 384 metros · BLS August 2026).
2. Midland, TX: +3.3% job growth, 129.8 thousand jobs
The BLS table shows Midland at 125.7 thousand in August 2025 and 129.8 thousand in August 2026, a 3.3% rise. Baton Rouge, LA and Myrtle Beach, SC are tied for second at +3.2% (WealthyBud data · 209 metros · BLS August 2026).
3. The top ten places range from +1.9% to +3.3%; the median of the 209 metros with 100,000 or more jobs is 0.4%
South Carolina has 3 of the 12 metros listed; no other state has more than 1. Across all 384 metros it is +0.3% (WealthyBud data · 209 metros · BLS August 2026). 3 metros tie for rank 10, so the table lists all of them.
4. BLS national payrolls for September 2026: +29,000, unemployment rate 4.2 percent
The Employment Situation release of October 2, 2026 says: “Both nonfarm payroll employment (+29,000) and the unemployment rate (4.2 percent) changed little in September.” BLS shows this change as seasonally adjusted and preliminary (Table B-1). It is a one-month national change, so this page does not rank it against metro year-over-year figures.
| Rank | Metro | Job change, August 2025 to August 2026 | Jobs, August 2026 (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midland, TX | +3.3% | 129.8 |
| 2= | Baton Rouge, LA | +3.2% | 438.8 |
| 2= | Myrtle Beach, SC | +3.2% | 164.9 |
| 4 | Salt Lake City, UT | +2.5% | 861.3 |
| 5= | Charlottesville, VA | +2.4% | 126.2 |
| 5= | Spartanburg, SC | +2.4% | 180.7 |
| 7 | Wichita, KS | +2.3% | 317.4 |
| 8= | Fayetteville, AR | +2.2% | 309.4 |
| 8= | Raleigh, NC | +2.2% | 787.2 |
| 10= | Greenville, SC | +1.9% | 488.1 |
| 10= | Lancaster, PA | +1.9% | 273.1 |
| 10= | Worcester, MA | +1.9% | 368.3 |
Which metros are losing jobs?
Atlantic City, NJ lost jobs fastest, down 3.1% from August 2025 to August 2026, followed by Washington, DC at −2.0%. 64 of 209 metros with 100,000 or more jobs lost jobs over the year. These figures are not seasonally adjusted and preliminary.
5. Atlantic City, NJ: −3.1% over the year
BLS lists the change as −5.8 thousand jobs, from 190.1 thousand to 184.3 thousand (Table 3), and names it among the three largest numeric decreases.
6. BLS lists Washington, DC with the largest numeric decrease: −66,000 jobs, a −2.0% change
The BLS release lists the largest decreases as “Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (-66,000), Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (-18,800), and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ (-5,800).” Portland, OR fell 1.5% in WealthyBud data.
The five sharpest job losses among these metros:
- Atlantic City, NJ lost 3.1% of its jobs over the year, leaving 184.3 thousand.
- Washington, DC lost 2.0% of its jobs over the year, leaving 3.30 million.
- Springfield, IL lost 1.6% of its jobs over the year, leaving 107.4 thousand.
- Portland, OR lost 1.5% of its jobs over the year, leaving 1.22 million.
- Rochester, NY lost 1.3% of its jobs over the year, leaving 508.3 thousand.
See jobs and prices on one map
How many metros grew jobs over the past year?
223 of 384 metros with a BLS series had more total nonfarm jobs in August 2026 than in August 2025, 141 had fewer, and 20 were unchanged at one decimal. BLS reports far fewer changes: 9 increases and 5 decreases among 387 areas, with the rest “essentially unchanged.”
7. 223 metros gained jobs (58.1%), 141 lost (36.7%), 20 unchanged at one decimal
The unchanged metros round to 0.0% growth, and the median is +0.3%. Among the 209 metros with 100,000 or more jobs, 136 grew, 64 shrank and 9 were unchanged; the other 87 growing metros stay out of the rankings (WealthyBud data · 384 metros · BLS August 2026).
8. BLS: payrolls increased in 9 metropolitan areas, decreased in 5 and were essentially unchanged in 373
The BLS Metropolitan Area release (September 30, 2026) states: “Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 9 metropolitan areas, decreased in 5 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 373 areas.” BLS’s 387 areas include Puerto Rico, which WealthyBud excludes, so the scopes differ.
What are the largest job markets?
New York, NY is the largest job market, with 10.03 million total nonfarm jobs in August 2026, followed by Los Angeles, CA with 6.29 million. The ten largest metros hold 31.5% of all jobs in the 384 metros WealthyBud matched.
9. The ten largest job markets hold 41.8 million of 132.7 million jobs (31.5%)
34 of the 209 metros with 100,000 or more jobs have 1 million or more. The total sums 384 metro series and is not a national figure (WealthyBud data · 384 metros · BLS August 2026).
10. 2 of the 10 largest markets lost jobs over the year; the median change across the 10 was +0.6%
Washington, DC (−2.0%) and Atlanta, GA (−0.5%) lost jobs (WealthyBud data · 10 metros · BLS August 2026).
11. BLS lists the largest numeric job gains in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (+44,700), Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI (+27,800) and Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (+21,400)
Houston, TX grew +1.3% in WealthyBud’s data, a modest rate on a large base.
| Rank | Metro | Jobs (thousands) | 1-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 10,033.0 | +0.5% |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | 6,289.1 | +0.6% |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | 4,785.0 | +0.2% |
| 4 | Houston, TX | 3,495.3 | +1.3% |
| 5 | Washington, DC | 3,299.6 | −2.0% |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | 3,127.9 | +0.8% |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | 3,105.1 | −0.5% |
| 8 | Boston, MA | 2,745.6 | +0.2% |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | 2,463.8 | +0.9% |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | 2,427.2 | +0.6% |
Do job-growth metros see faster home price growth?
It depends on the measure. Among 209 metros, the fifth with the fastest job growth had a higher median five-year FHFA price gain (52.6% against 48.2%) but a lower median one-year list-price change (−2.46% against −0.48%). This describes association only and tests no cause.
12. Median FHFA five-year price change: 48.2% in the slowest job-growth fifth, 52.6% in the fastest
The pool is 209 metros with 100,000 or more jobs and 100,000 or more residents; 11 lack an FHFA index. The medians range from 48.1% to 52.6% and do not rise at every step. FHFA data run to Q1 2026, while jobs cover August 2026 (WealthyBud data · 198 metros · BLS August 2026).
13. Median one-year list-price change: −0.48% in the slowest job-growth fifth, −2.46% in the fastest
Realtor.com list prices, September 2026, for the 209 metros here with 100 or more active listings; 4 reported no change and stay in the medians. The median does not move in one direction across the fifths (WealthyBud data · 209 metros · BLS August 2026).
Windows differ: job growth is August 2025 to August 2026, the FHFA index runs five years to Q1 2026, and list prices are from September 2026. The fifths also differ in size and region, so none of this shows that jobs move prices. See home price appreciation statistics for the price series.
| Job growth fifth | Metros | Job growth range | Median FHFA price change, Q1 2021 to Q1 2026 | Median list-price change, 1 year to September 2026 | Median net migrants per 1,000 residents, IRS 2022–2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (slowest job growth) | 41 | −3.1 to −0.5 | 48.2% (39) | −0.48% (41) | −1.2 (41) |
| 2 | 42 | −0.5 to +0.2 | 49.3% (39) | −1.60% (42) | −0.3 (42) |
| 3 | 42 | +0.2 to +0.7 | 50.8% (39) | −1.94% (42) | +0.7 (42) |
| 4 | 42 | +0.7 to +1.1 | 48.1% (39) | −1.92% (42) | +1.1 (40) |
| 5 (fastest job growth) | 42 | +1.2 to +3.3 | 52.6% (42) | −2.46% (42) | +3.6 (40) |
Does job growth track migration?
Yes, in this data. Median net migration per 1,000 residents rises from −1.2 in the slowest job-growth fifth to +3.6 in the fastest, across 205 metros, rising at every step. Migration covers IRS data year 2022–2023, jobs cover August 2026, and the link shows association only.
14. Median net migration: −1.2 per 1,000 residents in the slowest job-growth fifth, +3.6 in the fastest
WealthyBud estimates per-resident migration by dividing IRS net migration for 2022–2023 by 2023 ACS 5-year population, so the vintages differ. The pool is 205 of 209 metros (WealthyBud data · 205 metros · BLS August 2026).
15. 30 of 40 metros in the fastest job-growth fifth gained residents through net migration, against 15 of 41 in the slowest
Net migration counts tax filers and their exemptions and covers a different period from jobs. See migration statistics and population growth statistics (WealthyBud data · 205 metros · BLS August 2026).
What this means for buyers and investors
For buyers, payroll trends describe a labor market, not a price path. Check a market such as Midland, TX against both price measures.
For investors, the two price measures point opposite ways across job-growth fifths, so no single reading holds. Treat payroll growth as one input beside rents and supply, and expect BLS revisions.
More Real Estate statistics
Migration Statistics (2026)
Where Americans are moving — net migration and the income that moves with it, by metro, from IRS tax-return data.
View ResearchPopulation Growth Statistics (2026)
The fastest-growing and shrinking U.S. metros over five years, from Census ACS data, and how growth links to housing supply and prices.
View ResearchHome Price Appreciation Statistics (2026)
How fast U.S. home prices have grown over one, five and ten years across hundreds of metros, from FHFA and listing data.
View HubAll U.S. Housing Markets
950 metros scored, mapped and forecast from public data.
View