April 2025 | Released May 21, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Arizona Employment Snapshot

• In April, Arizona added 14,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 percent. In the prior month, Arizona added 9,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arizona added 24,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Arizona is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Arizona’s private sector added 14,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 23,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arizona added 10,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Arizona rose by 2,126, and over the past 12 months it rose by 23,313.

• Arizona’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.5 percent in April and ranks 35th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Arizona Payroll Employment

• Arizona added 14,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Arizona added 9,700 jobs. Arizona nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Arizona is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arizona added 14,400 private sector jobs, or 0.5 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Arizona added 10,200 jobs. Arizona private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Arizona is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Education and Health Services (6,100) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (5,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Government (-200) and Manufacturing tied with Leisure and Hospitality (-500).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (22,600) and Construction tied with Leisure and Hospitality (3,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,300) and Professional and Business Services (-4,400).

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 61.5 percent in April.

• Arizona ranks 35th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arizona was 62.2 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 60 percent occurring in November 2015.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.