December 2025
Released January 27, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 22.
The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.
In December, payroll jobs rose in 23 states and fell in 27. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Delaware and Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Kansas and Nebraska.
Arizona
Employment snapshot
In December, Arizona added 6,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Arizona lost 4,100 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Arizona added 24,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.8 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Arizona is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In December, Arizona’s private sector added 7,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 33,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arizona lost 3,700 net private payroll jobs.
In December, employment in Arizona rose by 7,710, and over the past 12 months it rose by 70,138.
Arizona’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.9 percent in December and ranks 32nd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.6 percentage points.
Arizona
Payroll employment
Arizona added 6,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Arizona lost 4,100 jobs. Arizona nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Arizona is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Arizona added 7,900 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Arizona lost 3,700 jobs. Arizona private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Arizona is tied for 9th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From November 2025 to December 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Construction (+3,900) and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,900).
- The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-1,700) and Manufacturing (-900).
From December 2024 to December 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+16,700) and Professional and Business Services (+9,800).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-7,200) and State and Local Government (-6,100).
Arizona
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 Arizona remained unchanged at 61.9 percent in December.
Arizona ranks 32nd in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arizona was 62.2 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 60.1 percent occurring in December 2015.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in December.