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.

Florida

Employment snapshot

• In September, Florida added 400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.9 percent. In the prior month, Florida lost 6,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Florida added 66,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.5 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Florida’s private sector lost 1,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 56,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Florida lost 7,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Florida fell by 10,354, and over the past 12 months it fell by 22,570.

• Florida’s labor force participation rate fell to 57.6 percent in September from 57.7 percent and is tied for 48th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Florida

Payroll employment

• Florida added 400 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Florida lost 6,800 jobs. Florida 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. Florida is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Florida lost 1,900 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Florida lost 7,300 jobs. Florida private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. Florida is tied for 31st 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 Private Education and Health Services (+2,700) and State and Local Government (+2,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-4,400) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,200).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+37,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+19,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-5,100) and Federal Government (-2,800).

Florida

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 Florida fell to 57.6 percent in September from 57.7 percent in the prior month.

• Florida is tied for 48th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Florida was 59.7 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 53.8 percent in April 2020.

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