July 2025

Released August 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 15, and remained unchanged in 30.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Wyoming.

Maryland

Employment snapshot

• In July, Maryland added 11,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.4 percent. In the prior month, Maryland lost 9,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Maryland added 14,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. Maryland is tied for 39th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, Maryland’s private sector added 900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 8,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Maryland lost 7,100 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in Maryland fell by 1,567, and over the past 12 months it fell by 25,376.

• Maryland’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 64.7 percent in July and is tied for 15th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.

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Maryland

Payroll employment

• Maryland added 11,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Maryland lost 9,000 jobs. Maryland nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. Maryland is tied for 39th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Maryland added 900 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Maryland lost 7,100 jobs. Maryland private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 83,000 jobs in July, or 0.1 percent. Maryland is tied for 39th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2025 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+11,300) and Private Education and Health Services (+3,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-1,200) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-600).

From July 2024 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+17,700) and State and Local Government (+17,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-11,000) and Professional and Business Services (-7,600).

Maryland

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 Maryland remained unchanged at 64.7 percent in July.

• Maryland is tied for 15th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Maryland was 69.3 percent occurring in February 2020, and the 10-year low was 64.7 percent occurring in July 2025.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.2 percent in July.