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.

Indiana

Employment snapshot

• In December, Indiana lost 7,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage point to 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Indiana lost 4,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Indiana added 8,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.9 percentage points from 4.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Indiana is tied for 29th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Indiana’s private sector lost 5,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 15,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Indiana lost 4,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Indiana rose by 2,939, and over the past 12 months it rose by 45,267.

• Indiana’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 63.6 percent in December and ranks 23rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Indiana

Payroll employment

• Indiana lost 7,700 net payroll jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Indiana lost 4,300 jobs. Indiana nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Indiana is tied for 29th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Indiana lost 5,800 private sector jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Indiana lost 4,300 jobs. Indiana private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Indiana is tied for 24th 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 Financial Activities (+800) and Other Services (+500).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-2,000) and State and Local Government (-1,600).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+12,800) and Professional and Business Services (+5,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-5,800) and State and Local Government (-3,900).

Indiana

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 Indiana remained unchanged at 63.6 percent in December.

• Indiana ranks 23rd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Indiana was 65.2 percent in June 2018, and the 10-year low was 60.9 percent in April 2020.

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