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.
Illinois
Employment snapshot
In December, Illinois added 11,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.6 percent. In the prior month, Illinois lost 7,800 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Illinois lost 1,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 4.9 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In December, Illinois’s private sector added 9,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 6,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Illinois lost 7,300 net private payroll jobs.
In December, employment in Illinois fell by 16,428, and over the past 12 months it fell by 82,325.
Illinois’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 63.8 percent in December and is tied for 20th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.3 percentage points.
Illinois
Payroll employment
Illinois added 11,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Illinois lost 7,800 jobs. Illinois nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 4 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Illinois added 9,000 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Illinois lost 7,300 jobs. Illinois private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Illinois is tied for 38th 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 Leisure and Hospitality (+7,100) and Private Education and Health Services (+4,000).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-3,400) and Manufacturing (-2,500).
From December 2024 to December 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+17,800) and State and Local Government (+8,700).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-17,600) and Manufacturing (-9,300).
Illinois
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 Illinois remained unchanged at 63.8 percent in December.
Illinois is tied for 20th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Illinois was 65.6 percent occurring in February 2016, and the 10-year low was 61.8 percent in June 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in December.