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- calendar_today November 2, 2026
Recent official labor force statistics provide a detailed view of changes in nonfarm employment and unemployment across the Midwest region. Data from September 2025 to September 2026 show that most Midwest states experienced modest decreases in employment with varied unemployment trends.
Across the Midwest as a whole, the civilian labor force declined by approximately 430,500 individuals, representing a 1.2% decrease over the year. This regional trend outpaced the national civilian labor force decline rate of 0.6% for the same period. The change in employment was not uniform across all Midwest states. For example, Michigan saw a 3.6% decrease in its labor force (down 177,700), whereas Wisconsin increased its labor force by 51,200 (a 1.6% rise). Missouri also posted a small but positive net change, growing by 4,800 (0.2%). Other states, such as Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, posted labor force declines between 0.5% and 1.3%.
Unemployment dynamics also varied. The Midwest overall registered a 5.0% decline in the number of unemployed individuals, with the most significant drops in states like Ohio (down 23.9%) and Indiana (down 7.9%), while Minnesota experienced an 8.8% increase in unemployment numbers. These figures suggest that although total employment generally weakened, the labor market outcomes differed markedly between states.
For a comprehensive table of state-by-state changes, including links to additional historical data for each state and the Midwest region, readers can visit the official BLS Midwest Labor Force Statistics release.
