U.S. metro payrolls post limited gains in August as Baton Rouge, Myrtle Beach lead
Employment trends across U.S. metropolitan areas remain largely flat in the year to August 2026, with most markets showing little change in nonfarm payrolls. A small group of metros records measurable gains, while a handful posts declines led by Bloomington, Indiana.
Highlights
- Baton Rouge and Myrtle Beach post the largest metro payroll gains in August 2026, each up 3.2% year-over-year, followed by Salt Lake City-Murray at 2.5%.
- Bloomington, Indiana sees the sharpest payroll decline, down 5.9% annually, while Flagstaff and Atlantic City-Hammonton fall 3.6% and 3.1%, respectively.
- Out of 387 metros, only 9 report significant year-over-year payroll increases and 5 report decreases, indicating employment momentum remains highly localized.
August 2026 metro employment results
As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm payroll employment rises over the year in 9 metropolitan areas between August 2025 and August 2026, falls in 5 areas, and is essentially unchanged in 373 areas.The largest statistically significant percentage gains occur in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, each up 3.2%. Salt Lake City-Murray, Utah follows with a 2.5% increase, while Wichita, Kansas records a 2.3% gain.
The sharpest statistically significant decline appears in Bloomington, Indiana, where payroll employment drops 5.9%. Flagstaff, Arizona posts a 3.6% decrease, and Atlantic City-Hammonton, New Jersey declines 3.1%.
Labor market picture stays mostly unchanged
The distribution of results points to a metro labor market that is broadly steady rather than widely expanding, as the overwhelming majority of areas show no meaningful year-over-year change. The limited number of metros with gains or losses suggests employment momentum remains concentrated in a few local economies rather than spread across the country.The figures come from the Current Employment Statistics, State and Metro Area program and are not seasonally adjusted. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says data for the most recent month are preliminary.
Our earlier article on the U.S. Freight Transportation Services Index described how freight activity weakened further in August 2026, marking a second straight monthly decline and pushing the index to its lowest level since September 2021. It noted that the drop was driven by declines in rail carloads, intermodal traffic, trucking, and water volumes, even as air freight and pipeline volumes increased.
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