U.S. job market is strong, but many Americans still frustrated by prospects and rising prices

By — Paul Wiseman, Associated Press Paul Wiseman, Associated Press By — Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/u-s-job-market-is-strong-but-many-americans-still-frustrated-by-prospects-and-rising-prices Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter U.S. job market is strong, but many Americans still frustrated by prospects and rising prices Economy Jun 5, 2026 2:52 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The American job market continues to show surprising strength — good news for President Donald Trump who has taken a beating in the polls over the surging gasoline prices that followed U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Employers added 172,000 jobs in May – roughly double what forecasters had expected – and the unemployment rate remained at a low 4.3%, the Labor Department reported Friday. READ MORE: 172,000 jobs added in May, showing market resilience despite Iran war Job growth was down slightly last month from a revised 179,000 in April. Hiring has bounced back this year from a miserable 2025, showing resilience in the face of economic uncertainty and painfully high energy prices since the Iran war started in late February. The job gains are broad-based. Local governments added 55,000 workers, restaurants and bars 48,000, healthcare companies 35,000. In another sign of job market strength, Labor Department revisions added a combined 93,000 jobs in March and April. Job growth averaged 188,000 a month from March through May, marking the best three months of hiring since early 2024. "The hiring recession is over. American firms are hiring again,'' said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. "The job rebound is happening in almost every industry ... This is encouraging news for job seekers and for the U.S. economy. The labor market has stabilized and is showing early signs of a genuine rebound.'' With just five months to go before consequential midterm elections in the U.S., Americans have grown increasingly frustrated by rising costs, and it's unclear if the strong job numbers this year will change their gloomy view of the economy. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Inflation data last week showed that in addition to gasoline, prices for groceries, clothing and electricity are also on the rise, indicating that inflation may be growing more entrenched. Polls show that Trump's approval rating on the economy is falling sharply after being reelected largely on the promise of taming inflation. And despite the pickup in hiring, wage gains were modest. Average hourly wages rose 0.3% from April and 3.4% from May 2025. Many young people are still finding it tough to catch a break on a job, and workers who have been laid off have struggled to find another. Nearly 28% of the unemployed in April had been jobless for more than six mon