Hudson Valley’s Record Private-sector Job Count

The Hudson Valley’s private-sector job count rose by 7,500, or 0.9 percent, for the 12-month period ending April 2026, reaching 850,300 jobs, the highest employment count on record for the region. According to New York State Department of Labor analyst Johny Nelson, growth was broad-based, with eight of nine sectors posting year-over-year gains.

The largest increases were in private education and health services (+2,700), trade, transportation and utilities (+1,700), financial activities (+1,200), professional and business services (+600), leisure and hospitality (+500), mining, logging and construction (+400), and manufacturing (+300). Private education and health services reached 251,600 jobs, a record high for April. Sullivan County led the region with 3.6 percent job growth, followed by Westchester (1.7 percent), Rockland (0.9 percent), and Kingston (0.4 percent), while Poughkeepsie-Newburgh and Putnam County posted declines.

Commentary

The Hudson Valley’s record private-sector job count is an encouraging sign of regional momentum, but continued growth should not be taken for granted. The next challenge is to build on this progress by making concerted efforts to attract, retain, and grow companies and employers that create good-paying, middle-class jobs, while aligning workforce, housing, infrastructure, and economic development strategies around long-term prosperity.

For the Hudson Valley, the goal is not simply more jobs, but jobs that expand access to economic mobility, strengthen families, and support long-term regional competitiveness. Growth is important; economic mobility is even better.