New state labor data shows unemployment rates increased statewide even as Oklahoma officials continue promoting the state’s economic growth and business recruitment successes.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Every Oklahoma county posted a higher unemployment rate in April than it did a year earlier, according to newly released state labor data, a statewide trend that comes as state leaders continue to promote Oklahoma’s economic growth and business-friendly climate.
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reported that all 77 counties recorded higher unemployment rates in April 2026 than they did in April 2025, marking a rare statewide increase that stretched from the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas to rural communities across western and southeastern Oklahoma.
The findings arrive as Oklahoma officials frequently point to major business recruitment projects, low taxes, population growth and economic development investments as evidence the state’s economy remains strong.
Love County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate in April at 6.4 percent, followed by Carter County at 5.7 percent and Hughes County at 5.5 percent. Dewey County posted the state’s lowest rate at 2.2 percent.
But the report’s most significant finding was not any individual county. It was that every county in Oklahoma reported a higher unemployment rate than it did a year earlier.
The trend was also evident in the state’s largest metropolitan areas.
The Oklahoma City metropolitan area posted an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent in April, up from 2.5 percent a year earlier. Tulsa rose to 3.9 percent from 2.6 percent, while Lawton increased to 4.1 percent from 2.9 percent.
Job totals also softened in Oklahoma’s largest economic centers.
The Oklahoma City metropolitan area reported 711,400 nonfarm jobs in April, down 6,900 jobs from April 2025. Tulsa reported 482,800 nonfarm jobs, a decline of 1,400 jobs over the same period.
Several sectors posted notable year-over-year losses. Oklahoma City’s professional and business services sector shed 3,700 jobs, while leisure and hospitality employment fell by 2,000. Federal government employment in the Oklahoma City area declined by 3,400 jobs from a year earlier.
In Tulsa, manufacturing employment declined by 1,000 jobs while leisure and hospitality employment fell by 1,500. Federal government employment in the Tulsa area was down 700 jobs compared with April 2025.
Even with the increases, unemployment rates remain relatively low by historical standards, with most counties posting rates below 5 percent. The county unemployment figures are preliminary and are not seasonally adjusted.
While unemployment rates remain relatively low, the report’s central finding was unmistakable: all 77 Oklahoma counties recorded higher unemployment rates than they did a year ago.
