A monthly economic snapshot — unemployment, job growth, home sales, and commercial property.
Employment
Unemployment rates by geography, current vs. prior year.
Anne Arundel County
3.4%
▼ -0.6 pts vs August 2025
10,850 unemployed · -709 vs prior month
Maryland
4.1%
▼ -0.2 pts vs August 2025
129,852 unemployed · -5,415 vs prior month
United States
4.1%
▼ -0.2 pts vs August 2025
7,031,000 unemployed · +115,000 vs prior month
Geography
Unempl. rate August 2026
Unempl. rate August 2025
# Unemployed
Net chg. vs prior month
Anne Arundel County
3.4%
4.0%
10,850
-709
Maryland
4.1%
4.3%
129,852
-5,415
United States
4.1%
4.3%
7,031,000
+115,000
U.S. Unemployment Rate was 4.2% in September; previous year's data may include revisions.
Source: MD Dept. of Labor/Office of Workforce Information & Performance; Bureau of Labor Statistics; MD & U.S. unemployment stats are seasonally adjusted.
Employment & Wages / Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages (Job Growth)
Quarterly average employment by industry sector.
Total quarterly average employment
287,091
▼ -1,886 jobs (-0.7%) vs 1st Quarter 2025
Industry
1st Quarter 2026
1st Quarter 2025
1st Quarter 2024
Net change (yr/yr)
Government
49,443
50,682
50,537
▼ -1,239
Construction
20,303
19,441
19,398
▲ +862
Manufacturing
19,504
19,307
18,268
▲ +197
Trade, Transportation, Utilities
53,119
53,974
53,915
▼ -855
Information
1,943
1,935
1,847
▲ +8
Financial Activities
9,299
9,126
9,620
▲ +173
Professional & Business Services
48,286
49,575
47,365
▼ -1,289
Education & Health Services
42,283
41,555
39,821
▲ +728
Leisure & Hospitality
32,827
33,308
32,998
▼ -481
Other Services
9,743
9,758
9,626
▼ -15
Total Quarterly Average Employment
287,091
288,977
283,711
▼ -1,886
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (previous years' data may include revisions).
Home Sales
Three-year comparison of sold prices and unit volume.
Average Sold Price
$617,317
▲ +3.3% vs September 2025
Median Sold Price
$503,000
▲ +2.4% vs September 2025
Total Units Sold
581
▼ -8.4% vs September 2025
Metric
September 2026
September 2025
September 2024
% change (yr/yr)
Average Sold Price
$617,317
$597,580
$568,615
▲ +3.3%
Median Sold Price
$503,000
$490,990
$485,000
▲ +2.4%
Total Units Sold
581
634
628
▼ -8.4%
Source: Maryland Realtors Association (previous years' data may include revisions).
Commercial Property
Inventory and vacancy rates by property type.
Type
# of properties
Total size (SF)
Vacancy September 2026
Vacancy September 2025
Change
Office
1,163
24,312,020
7.6%
7.4%
▲ +0.2 pts
Flex
379
13,118,250
7.7%
7.9%
▼ -0.2 pts
Industrial
541
27,981,553
8.4%
8.3%
▲ +0.1 pts
Retail
2,282
31,736,501
3.0%
3.0%
— +0.0 pts
Source: CoStar (vacancy rate is vacant available space).