US Job Quits Down to Near 4-1/2-Year Low

The number of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs in the United States rose by 321,000 over a month to 3.37 million in September 2026, reaching the highest level since March 2025. Over the year, total nonfarm quits increased by 375,000. Quits increased primarily in accommodation and food services (+197,000) but decreased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-19,000). The quits rate inched up to an over one-year high of 2.1% in September, from 1.9% in the month before. Quits rose across all regions, with the largest increase recorded in the West (+195,000), followed by the Midwest (+48,000), the South (+46,000) and the Northeast (+32,000).

The number of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs in the United States fell slightly by 23,000 to 3.07 million in August 2026, from the revised 3.09 million in the prior month. Quits decreased in wholesale trade (-34,000) and in state and local government education (-21,000), but increased in nondurable goods manufacturing (+28,000) and in private educational services (+13,000). The quits rate stood at 1.9% in August, remaining near its lowest level since 2020 and signaling reluctance among workers to quit.

The number of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs in the United States decreased by 157,000 to 3.06 million in July 2026, from a revised 3.21 million in the prior month. Quits fell primarily in accommodation and food services (-86,000); professional and business services (-77,000) and other services (-49,000). By region, quits declined in the West (-265,000) and the Northeast (-22,000) but increase in the Midwest (+114,000) and the South (+16,000). The quits rate edged down to 1.9% from 2%, remaining near its lowest level since 2020 and signaling continued reluctance among workers to quit.