{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"us-nonfarm-payrolls","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/us-nonfarm-payrolls","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/us-nonfarm-payrolls/","title":"US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP)","description":"Monthly change in employment outside the agricultural sector, covering approximately 500 industries. The single most market-moving economic data release in the United States.","domain":"labor","category":"Labour & Employment","keywords":["Employment","Labor Market","Payrolls","Wages","Macroeconomics"],"publisher":"U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics","frequency":"Monthly","geography":"United States","temporal_coverage":"1939-01/..","last_updated":"2026-07-25","last_updated_text":"July 25, 2026","data_as_of":"June 2026","variable_measured":"Monthly Employment Change — Nonfarm Payrolls","measurement_technique":"Establishment payroll survey covering ~141,000 businesses","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"BLS Current Employment Statistics","url":"https://www.bls.gov/ces/"},{"name":"FRED — Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis","url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PAYEMS"},{"name":"BLS Public Data API","url":"https://www.bls.gov/developers/"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Monthly"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"Jan 1939–present"},{"label":"Release day","value":"First Friday of each month"},{"label":"Geography","value":"United States"},{"label":"Survey","value":"~141,000 businesses"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"July 25, 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"June 2026","value":"+57K","unit":"Jobs added (000s)","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"below +115K consensus"}},{"label":"Unemployment Rate","value":"4.2%","unit":"U-3, seasonally adj.","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"-0.1pt MoM"}},{"label":"Avg Hourly Earnings","value":"+3.5%","unit":"YoY, all employees","trend":{"direction":"up","value":"vs. +3.4% prior"}},{"label":"Labor Force Part.","value":"61.5%","unit":"Participation rate","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"-0.3pt MoM"}}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"Monthly Job Change (000s)"}],"observation_count":78,"observations":[{"period":"Jan 2020","value":237},{"period":"Feb 2020","value":262},{"period":"Mar 2020","value":-1398},{"period":"Apr 2020","value":-20469},{"period":"May 2020","value":2614},{"period":"Jun 2020","value":4631},{"period":"Jul 2020","value":1584},{"period":"Aug 2020","value":1566},{"period":"Sep 2020","value":949},{"period":"Oct 2020","value":690},{"period":"Nov 2020","value":273},{"period":"Dec 2020","value":-185},{"period":"Jan 2021","value":315},{"period":"Feb 2021","value":517},{"period":"Mar 2021","value":852},{"period":"Apr 2021","value":355},{"period":"May 2021","value":478},{"period":"Jun 2021","value":755},{"period":"Jul 2021","value":942},{"period":"Aug 2021","value":552},{"period":"Sep 2021","value":457},{"period":"Oct 2021","value":801},{"period":"Nov 2021","value":658},{"period":"Dec 2021","value":586},{"period":"Jan 2022","value":190},{"period":"Feb 2022","value":819},{"period":"Mar 2022","value":490},{"period":"Apr 2022","value":308},{"period":"May 2022","value":301},{"period":"Jun 2022","value":434},{"period":"Jul 2022","value":714},{"period":"Aug 2022","value":290},{"period":"Sep 2022","value":220},{"period":"Oct 2022","value":357},{"period":"Nov 2022","value":303},{"period":"Dec 2022","value":100},{"period":"Jan 2023","value":434},{"period":"Feb 2023","value":290},{"period":"Mar 2023","value":68},{"period":"Apr 2023","value":241},{"period":"May 2023","value":280},{"period":"Jun 2023","value":225},{"period":"Jul 2023","value":163},{"period":"Aug 2023","value":218},{"period":"Sep 2023","value":156},{"period":"Oct 2023","value":159},{"period":"Nov 2023","value":127},{"period":"Dec 2023","value":154},{"period":"Jan 2024","value":175},{"period":"Feb 2024","value":206},{"period":"Mar 2024","value":228},{"period":"Apr 2024","value":64},{"period":"May 2024","value":78},{"period":"Jun 2024","value":87},{"period":"Jul 2024","value":53},{"period":"Aug 2024","value":9},{"period":"Sep 2024","value":155},{"period":"Oct 2024","value":33},{"period":"Nov 2024","value":134},{"period":"Dec 2024","value":237},{"period":"Jan 2025","value":-48},{"period":"Feb 2025","value":42},{"period":"Mar 2025","value":67},{"period":"Apr 2025","value":108},{"period":"May 2025","value":13},{"period":"Jun 2025","value":-20},{"period":"Jul 2025","value":64},{"period":"Aug 2025","value":-70},{"period":"Sep 2025","value":76},{"period":"Oct 2025","value":-140},{"period":"Nov 2025","value":41},{"period":"Dec 2025","value":-17},{"period":"Jan 2026","value":160},{"period":"Feb 2026","value":-133},{"period":"Mar 2026","value":178},{"period":"Apr 2026","value":148},{"period":"May 2026","value":129},{"period":"Jun 2026","value":57}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"period","label":"Month"},{"key":"cpiIndex","label":"NFP Change (000s)"},{"key":"growth","label":"Unemployment Rate (%)"},{"key":"coreInflation","label":"Avg Hourly Earnings (YoY%)"}],"rows":[{"period":"Q2 2026","cpiIndex":"111","growth":"4.2","coreInflation":"+3.5%"},{"period":"Q1 2026","cpiIndex":"68","growth":"4.3","coreInflation":"+3.5%"},{"period":"Q4 2025","cpiIndex":"-39","growth":"4.4","coreInflation":"+3.7%"},{"period":"Q3 2025","cpiIndex":"23","growth":"4.4","coreInflation":"+3.8%"},{"period":"Q2 2025","cpiIndex":"34","growth":"4.1","coreInflation":"+3.9%"},{"period":"Q1 2025","cpiIndex":"20","growth":"4.2","coreInflation":"+4.2%"},{"period":"Q4 2024","cpiIndex":"135","growth":"4.1","coreInflation":"+4.1%"},{"period":"Q3 2024","cpiIndex":"72","growth":"4.1","coreInflation":"+3.9%"},{"period":"Q2 2024","cpiIndex":"76","growth":"4.1","coreInflation":"+3.9%"},{"period":"Q1 2024","cpiIndex":"203","growth":"3.9","coreInflation":"+4.1%"},{"period":"Q4 2023","cpiIndex":"147","growth":"3.8","coreInflation":"+4.1%"}]},"qa":[{"question":"Why do markets react so strongly to NFP?","answer":"The NFP report is released on the first Friday of every month and is considered the single most market-moving data release in the US. It directly informs the Federal Reserve's dual mandate (maximum employment + price stability), so surprises shift expectations for interest rate changes. A strong print often lifts equities and the USD while pressuring Treasury bonds; weak prints do the reverse. The report also includes unemployment rate, average hourly earnings, and average weekly hours — a comprehensive snapshot of labour market health."},{"question":"What is the difference between the establishment survey and the household survey?","answer":"NFP comes from the establishment (payroll) survey, which asks businesses how many workers they paid during the reference period. The household survey (from which the unemployment rate is derived) asks individuals about their employment status. The two surveys can diverge in the short term because they cover different populations and use different methodologies. Self-employed workers appear in the household survey but not in NFP."},{"question":"How are nonfarm payrolls used in portfolio management?","answer":"NFP is a primary input to Fed policy models, making it essential for fixed income positioning and rate derivatives. Systematic macro funds use NFP surprises as signals. Private equity and growth equity investors use labour market strength as a proxy for consumer spending resilience. Credit analysts monitor payroll growth as a leading indicator of corporate debt serviceability."}]}