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.

Idaho

Employment snapshot

• In December, Idaho added 300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Idaho added 3,900 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Idaho added 9,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points from 3.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Idaho is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Idaho’s private sector added 500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 10,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Idaho added 4,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Idaho rose by 1,755, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,825.

• Idaho’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.9 percent in December and ranks 27th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1 percentage point.

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Idaho

Payroll employment

• Idaho added 300 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Idaho added 3,900 jobs. Idaho nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Idaho is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Idaho added 500 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Idaho added 4,200 jobs. Idaho private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Idaho is tied for 5th 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 (+1,100) and Construction (+1,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-1,800) and Financial Activities (-600).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Construction (+6,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (+3,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,700) and Federal Government (-1,000).

Idaho

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 Idaho remained unchanged at 62.9 percent in December.

• Idaho ranks 27th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Idaho was 64.5 percent occurring in July 2019, and the 10-year low was 62.8 percent in April 2020.

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