US adds 26,000 jobs in October as vacancies fall
Healthcare and retail led a third month of job gains, while information and professional and business services shed jobs.
US employment rose by an estimated 26,000 in October, the third consecutive monthly gain after mostly negative readings earlier in 2026, according to Revelio Labs’ monthly labour market tracker. Active job postings fell 2.4% from September but were still 1.1% higher than a year earlier.
Health care and social assistance led employment growth, followed by retail trade and public administration. Retail was the second-largest contributor to job gains in October after weighing on employment earlier in the year. Leisure and hospitality, information and professional and business services recorded the largest job losses.
The fall in vacancies was concentrated in leisure and hospitality, retail and manufacturing. Information and professional and business services were among the few sectors where postings rose, even as employment fell in both. Across the economy, active postings stood at about 18.4 million, above January’s low of 17.8 million.
The hiring rate edged up to 20.9% and attrition rose to 20.7%, following a low for the series in September. Both rates are still near the bottom of Revelio’s series, having exceeded 30% in 2021–22. Hiring was lower than a year earlier in most sectors, including health care and social assistance, despite its continued lead in job growth.
The number of workers notified of layoffs under the US WARN system fell to 16,600, from around 30,000 in September, the lowest monthly total since 2022. Manufacturing accounted for around a third of the October total. Salaries advertised in new job postings were broadly unchanged from September.
US labour market in October
- Employment rose by an estimated 26,000.
- Active job postings fell 2.4% on the month and were up 1.1% year on year.
- Hiring rate rose 0.3 percentage points to 20.9%.
- Attrition rate rose 0.6 percentage points to 20.7%.
- Workers notified of layoffs under WARN fell to 16,600, from around 30,000 in September.
Full release via Revelio Labs: reveliolabs.com/public-labor-statistics/employment