Maryland Unemployment Falls to 3.9% as Employer Survey Shows 8,800 Fewer Jobs; Talbot Figures Due Oct. 28

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — Talbot County's September jobless rate will not be out until Oct. 28, but the statewide numbers released this week send mixed signals for anyone watching the Shore's restaurant, hotel and tourism jobs.

Maryland's unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage point in September to 3.9%, below the national rate of 4.2% and the lowest since April 2025, the Maryland Department of Labor said Oct. 20, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. The labor force participation rate held at 63.7%, compared with 61.8% nationally.

A separate federal estimate, drawn from a survey of employers rather than residents, shows Maryland losing 8,800 nonfarm jobs in September. The department said employer-based estimates for Maryland and other states have swung sharply in recent months and are "likely" affected by "challenges in data collection rather than volatility in employment levels."

The department pointed to unemployment claims as a check: fewer Marylanders filed claims in September than in August, and September claims were lower than in September 2024 or September 2025.

The largest estimated losses were in health care and social assistance (2,400 jobs), accommodation and food services (2,000), arts, entertainment and recreation (1,700), administrative and support and waste management (1,500) and private educational services (900). The largest estimated gains were in transportation, warehousing and utilities (700), manufacturing (600), professional, scientific and technical services (200) and government (200).

The release does not include county figures. The department's schedule lists Wednesday, Oct. 28, for September county, city and metro-area numbers, and Thursday, Oct. 29, for its Monthly Labor Review.