August 2025 | Released September 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In August, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 12, and remained unchanged in 26.

• 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 4.3 percent.

• In August, payroll jobs rose in 32 states and fell in 18. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Utah. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

Colorado

Employment snapshot

• In August, Colorado added 3,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage point to 4.2 percent. In the prior month, Colorado added 5,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Colorado added 18,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points from 4.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 33rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, Colorado’s private sector added 3,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 8,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Colorado added 4,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Colorado rose by 4,219, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,620.

• Colorado’s labor force participation rate fell to 67.4 percent in August from 67.6 percent and ranks 8th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Colorado

Payroll employment

• Colorado added 3,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Colorado added 5,100 jobs. Colorado nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 33rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Colorado added 3,300 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Colorado added 4,200 jobs. Colorado private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. Colorado is tied for 38th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From July 2025 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+3,000) and Professional and Business Services (+1,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-2,100) and Federal Government (-300).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+12,200) and Private Education and Health Services (+8,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-4,900) and Federal Government (-2,700).

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 67.4 percent in August from 67.6 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 62.3 percent in August.