2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels ArticleSeptember 4, 2026 2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels New calculations show the economy would need to add about 97,000 jobs per month to keep the employment-to-population ratio from declining. Sep 4, 2026 Cristina Tello-Trillo, Christian E. Weller