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.
New Jersey
Employment snapshot
In September, New Jersey added 10,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 5.2 percent. In the prior month, New Jersey added 6,600 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey added 26,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 4.6 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 28th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In September, New Jersey’s private sector added 5,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 29,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Jersey added 6,700 net private payroll jobs.
In September, employment in New Jersey fell by 6,572, and over the past 12 months it fell by 46,207.
New Jersey’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 63.5 percent in September and ranks 23rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.
New Jersey
Payroll employment
New Jersey added 10,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, New Jersey added 6,600 jobs. New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 28th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
New Jersey added 5,600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, New Jersey added 6,700 jobs. New Jersey private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey 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 (+5,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,200).
- The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-3,400) and Information (-200).
From September 2024 to September 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+28,500) and Professional and Business Services (+13,400).
- The worst performing sectors were Construction (-10,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,400).
New Jersey
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 New Jersey remained unchanged at 63.5 percent in September.
New Jersey ranks 23rd in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Jersey was 65 percent occurring in June 2023, and the 10-year low was 60.7 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in September.