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.

Idaho

Employment snapshot

• In September, Idaho added 300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, Idaho added 500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Idaho added 16,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 3.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Idaho ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Idaho’s private sector added 100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 16,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Idaho added 500 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Idaho rose by 441, and over the past 12 months it rose by 1,966.

• Idaho’s labor force participation rate fell to 63 percent in September from 63.1 percent and ranks 24th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.1 percentage points.

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Idaho

Payroll employment

• Idaho added 300 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Idaho added 500 jobs. Idaho 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. Idaho ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Idaho added 100 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Idaho added 500 jobs. Idaho private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. Idaho ranks 2nd 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 (+500) and Construction (+400).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-600) and Manufacturing (-300).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+6,900) and Construction (+5,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,600) and Federal Government (-900).

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 fell to 63 percent in September from 63.1 percent in the prior month.

• Idaho ranks 24th in the nation.

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

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