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 York

Employment snapshot

• In September, New York lost 27,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.2 percent. In the prior month, New York lost 15,600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New York added 73,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points from 4.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, New York’s private sector added 13,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 63,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New York lost 13,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in New York fell by 2,862, and over the past 12 months it rose by 45,840.

• New York’s labor force participation rate rose to 60.9 percent in September from 60.8 percent and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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New York

Payroll employment

• New York lost 27,000 net payroll jobs, or -0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, New York lost 15,600 jobs. New York 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 York is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New York added 13,800 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, New York lost 13,000 jobs. New York 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. New York 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 Private Education and Health Services (+11,800) and Professional and Business Services (+4,100).
• The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-40,700) and Construction (-2,400).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+98,400) and State and Local Government (+14,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-16,900) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-10,900).

New York

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 York rose to 60.9 percent in September from 60.8 percent in the prior month.

• New York ranks 36th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New York was 61.1 percent occurring in October 2023, and the 10-year low was 56.1 percent in April 2020.

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