From preliminary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for September 2026. Local figures are not seasonally adjusted, so they are compared with the same month a year earlier.
The unemployment rate in the Dayton-Kettering metro area (Montgomery, Greene and Miami counties) was 3.7% in September 2026, down from 4.3% in September 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Montgomery County’s rate was 3.9% (4.5% in September 2025). On the same unadjusted basis, Ohio’s rate was 3.3% and the nation’s 4.0%.
Employers in the metro area had 402,200 nonfarm jobs in September 2026, 3,300 more than a year earlier.
Labor force
| Labor force | Employed | Unemployed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering metro area | 394,237 | 379,789 | 14,448 |
| Montgomery County | 255,117 | 245,254 | 9,863 |
Jobs by industry, metro area
| Industry | September 2026 | September 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm jobs | 402,200 | 398,900 | +3,300 |
| Mining, logging and construction | 16,300 | 15,700 | +600 |
| Manufacturing | 42,100 | 41,700 | +400 |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 71,100 | 70,700 | +400 |
| Information | 5,100 | 5,300 | −200 |
| Financial activities | 15,500 | 15,700 | −200 |
| Professional and business services | 54,000 | 53,300 | +700 |
| Education and health services | 83,100 | 80,900 | +2,200 |
| Leisure and hospitality | 39,400 | 38,800 | +600 |
| Other services | 14,000 | 14,400 | −400 |
| Government | 61,600 | 62,400 | −800 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Current Employment Statistics. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the following month.
