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.

Maryland

Employment snapshot

• In December, Maryland lost 700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent. In the prior month, Maryland added 5,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Maryland lost 12,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 1.1 percentage points from 3.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Maryland is tied for 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Maryland’s private sector lost 1,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 1,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Maryland added 2,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Maryland fell by 8,249, and over the past 12 months it fell by 54,671.

• Maryland’s labor force participation rate fell to 64.5 percent in December from 64.6 percent and ranks 14th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Maryland

Payroll employment

• Maryland lost 700 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Maryland added 5,200 jobs. Maryland nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Maryland is tied for 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Maryland lost 1,100 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Maryland added 2,300 jobs. Maryland 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. Maryland is tied for 33rd 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 (+1,300) and State and Local Government (+800).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,100) and Construction (-500).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+13,900) and State and Local Government (+11,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-24,700) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-14,600).

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 fell to 64.5 percent in December from 64.6 percent in the prior month.

• Maryland ranks 14th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Maryland was 69.3 percent occurring in December 2019, and the 10-year low was 64.5 percent in December 2025.

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