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.

District of Columbia

Employment snapshot

• In December, District of Columbia added 500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 6.7 percent. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, District of Columbia lost 32,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 1.4 percentage points from 5.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. District of Columbia ranks 51st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, District of Columbia’s private sector added 1,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 7,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 600 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in District of Columbia rose by 62, and over the past 12 months it fell by 5,422.

• District of Columbia’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 71 percent in December and ranks 1st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.9 percentage points.

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District of Columbia

Payroll employment

• District of Columbia added 500 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 500 jobs. District of Columbia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 2 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. District of Columbia ranks 51st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• District of Columbia added 1,100 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, District of Columbia lost 600 jobs. District of Columbia private sector payroll employment has increased in 3 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. District of Columbia ranks 51st 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 Professional and Business Services (+1,000) and Private Education and Health Services (+300).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-600) and Leisure and Hospitality (-500).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Other Services (+200) and Manufacturing (+0).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-25,300) and Professional and Business Services (-5,400).

District of Columbia

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 District of Columbia remained unchanged at 71 percent in December.

• District of Columbia ranks 1st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in District of Columbia was 72.9 percent occurring in January 2024, and the 10-year low was 68 percent in May 2020.

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