Vermont's unemployment rate stayed at 2.6% in September, while the estimated labor force was substantially smaller than a year earlier.
The Department of Labor's Oct. 20 report put the seasonally adjusted labor force at 337,877, down 54 from August and 9,531 from September 2025. The labor force counts people who are working or actively seeking work.
An estimated 329,128 residents were employed, down 104 over the month and 9,145 over the year. The number unemployed rose by 50 from August to 8,749 but was 386 lower than a year earlier.
A low unemployment rate describes the share of labor-force participants who are unemployed; it does not mean the number of people working is rising. In this report, the unemployment rate was unchanged from September 2025 even as both employment and the labor force declined.
The national unemployment rate was 4.2% in September. Vermont's separate employer-payroll measure showed jobs down 0.1% over the year.
Seasonal adjustment is intended to account for recurring calendar-related changes. These are estimates, and the state schedules the next monthly release for Nov. 20.