September 2025

Released December 11, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 10, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.

• In September, payroll jobs rose in 30 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Colorado

Employment snapshot

• In September, Colorado added 500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent. In the prior month, Colorado added 5,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Colorado added 18,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points from 4.5 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Colorado is tied for 28th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Colorado’s private sector lost 200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 10,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Colorado added 6,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Colorado rose by 1,444, and over the past 12 months it rose by 7,108.

• Colorado’s labor force participation rate fell to 67.3 percent in September from 67.4 percent and ranks 8th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.

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Colorado

Payroll employment

• Colorado added 500 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Colorado added 5,700 jobs. Colorado nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Colorado is tied for 28th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Colorado lost 200 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Colorado added 6,000 jobs. Colorado private sector payroll employment has increased in 4 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. Colorado ranks 37th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From August 2025 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+1,700) and Other Services (+1,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,100) and Construction (-1,000).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+10,600) and Private Education and Health Services (+9,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-4,800) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,600).

Colorado

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 Colorado fell to 67.3 percent in September from 67.4 percent in the prior month.

• Colorado ranks 8th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Colorado was 68.8 percent occurring in January 2020, and the 10-year low was 65.4 percent in July 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in September.