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.

Connecticut

Employment snapshot

• In December, Connecticut lost 500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.2 percent. In the prior month, Connecticut added 2,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Connecticut lost 2,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 1 percentage points from 3.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Connecticut is tied for 37th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Connecticut’s private sector lost 1,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 5,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Connecticut added 1,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Connecticut fell by 5,231, and over the past 12 months it fell by 37,850.

• Connecticut’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 64 percent in December and is tied for 17th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1 percentage point.

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Connecticut

Payroll employment

• Connecticut lost 500 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Connecticut added 2,100 jobs. Connecticut nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Connecticut is tied for 37th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Connecticut lost 1,000 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Connecticut added 1,600 jobs. Connecticut private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Connecticut ranks 46th 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 State and Local Government (+700) and Professional and Business Services (+700).
• The worst performing sectors were Financial Activities (-700) and Manufacturing (-500).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+4,400) and Professional and Business Services (+2,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,100) and Manufacturing (-2,600).

Connecticut

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 Connecticut remained unchanged at 64 percent in December.

• Connecticut is tied for 17th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Connecticut was 66.6 percent occurring in October 2019, and the 10-year low was 61.8 percent in May 2021.

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