August 2025 | Released September 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In August, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 12, and remained unchanged in 26.

• 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 4.3 percent.

• In August, payroll jobs rose in 32 states and fell in 18. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Utah. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

Mississippi

Employment snapshot

• In August, Mississippi added 2,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent. In the prior month, Mississippi added 2,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Mississippi added 16,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Mississippi is tied for 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, Mississippi’s private sector added 3,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 14,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Mississippi added 1,500 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Mississippi fell by 3,008, and over the past 12 months it fell by 1,429.

• Mississippi’s labor force participation rate fell to 55.7 percent in August from 55.9 percent and ranks 50th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Mississippi

Payroll employment

• Mississippi added 2,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Mississippi added 2,000 jobs. Mississippi nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Mississippi is tied for 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Mississippi added 3,000 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Mississippi added 1,500 jobs. Mississippi private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. Mississippi is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From July 2025 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Construction (+1,600) and Private Education and Health Services (+900).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-600) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-300).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+6,100) and Construction (+2,800).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-900) and Manufacturing (-800).

Mississippi

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 Mississippi fell to 55.7 percent in August from 55.9 percent in the prior month.

• Mississippi ranks 50th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Mississippi was 56.4 percent occurring in September 2019, and the 10-year low was 53 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.3 percent in August.