April 2025 | Released May 21, 2025
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United States Employment Snapshot
In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.
In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.
New York Employment Snapshot
In April, New York added 15,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent. In the prior month, New York lost 1,400 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, New York added 114,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In April, New York’s private sector added 14,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 95,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New York lost 1,500 net private payroll jobs.
In April, employment in New York rose by 21,261, and over the past 12 months it rose by 56,700.
New York’s labor force participation rate rose to 61 percent in April from 60.9 percent and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.
New York Payroll Employment
New York added 15,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, New York lost 1,400 jobs. New York nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. New York is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
New York added 14,400 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, New York lost 1,500 jobs. New York private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. New York ranks 20th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Education and Health Services (12,100) and Professional and Business Services (8,000).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (-4,600).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (86,700) and Government (18,800).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-6,300) and Construction (-7,700).
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 61 percent in April from 60.9 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 62.6 percent in April.