New Jersey Labor Market Lags as National Job Growth Slows
Event summary
- U.S. lost 92,000 payroll jobs in February 2026, unemployment rate unchanged at 4.4%.
- New Jersey's unemployment rate near 5.4%, a full percentage point higher than the national average.
- Healthcare and specialized Professional Services are New Jersey’s strongest growth sectors.
- Information and Construction sectors face layoffs and WARN notices in New Jersey.
The big picture
New Jersey’s labor market is experiencing a structural divergence, with legacy sectors like Information and Construction declining while healthcare and professional services remain resilient. The state’s higher-than-average unemployment rate reflects broader challenges in adapting to shifting economic demands, particularly as national job growth slows.
What we're watching
- Sectoral Resilience
- How healthcare and professional services will sustain growth amid broader labor market cooling.
- Upskilling Demand
- The pace at which New Jersey’s workforce pivots toward high-demand fields like healthcare.
- Regional Disparities
- Whether New Jersey can narrow the unemployment gap with national averages in 2026.
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