September 2025

Released December 11, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 10, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.

• In September, payroll jobs rose in 30 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Missouri

Employment snapshot

• In September, Missouri added 18,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 percent. In the prior month, Missouri lost 4,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Missouri added 48,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.7 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Missouri is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Missouri’s private sector added 4,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 19,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Missouri lost 7,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Missouri rose by 4,612, and over the past 12 months it rose by 21,557.

• Missouri’s labor force participation rate rose to 63.7 percent in September from 63.6 percent and is tied for 21st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.4 percentage points.

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Missouri

Payroll employment

• Missouri added 18,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.6 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Missouri lost 4,800 jobs. Missouri nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Missouri is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Missouri added 4,400 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Missouri lost 7,900 jobs. Missouri private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. Missouri is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From August 2025 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+14,100) and Professional and Business Services (+4,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-3,500) and Construction (-1,300).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+31,300) and Private Education and Health Services (+15,500).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-4,000) and Professional and Business Services (-2,700).

Missouri

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 Missouri rose to 63.7 percent in September from 63.6 percent in the prior month.

• Missouri is tied for 21st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Missouri was 64.7 percent occurring in August 2016, and the 10-year low was 59.6 percent in May 2020.

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