July 2025 | Released August 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 15, and remained unchanged in 30.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Wyoming.

Alaska

Employment snapshot

• In July, Alaska added 1,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Alaska added 1,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Alaska added 4,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 4.7 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. Alaska ranks 12th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, Alaska’s private sector added 900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 5,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Alaska added 1,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in Alaska rose by 6, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,484.

• Alaska’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 65.2 percent in July and ranks 12th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.5 percentage points.

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Alaska

Payroll employment

• Alaska added 1,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Alaska added 1,000 jobs. Alaska nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. Alaska ranks 12th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Alaska added 900 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Alaska added 1,200 jobs. Alaska private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 83,000 jobs in July, or 0.1 percent. Alaska ranks 5th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2025 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+400) and Private Education and Health Services (+200).
• The worst performing sectors were Information (-200) and Federal Government (-100).

From July 2024 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Construction (+1,400) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,300).
• The worst performing sectors were Information (-400) and Mining and Logging (-400).

Alaska

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Alaska remained unchanged at 65.2 percent in July.

• Alaska ranks 12th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Alaska was 66.7 percent in July 2015, and the 10-year low was 61.7 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.2 percent in July.