August 2025

Released September 19, 2025

Download the full PDF for New Hampshire

Download the summary PDF for New Hampshire

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.

New Hampshire

Employment snapshot

• In August, New Hampshire lost 2,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3 percent. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 1,600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Hampshire added 100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 2.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. New Hampshire is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, New Hampshire’s private sector lost 2,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 2,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 500 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in New Hampshire rose by 279, and over the past 12 months it fell by 1,197.

• New Hampshire’s labor force participation rate fell to 65.4 percent in August from 65.5 percent and ranks 11th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.3 percentage points.

---

New Hampshire

Payroll employment

• New Hampshire lost 2,400 net payroll jobs, or -0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 1,600 jobs. New Hampshire nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. New Hampshire is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Hampshire lost 2,000 private sector jobs, or -0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, New Hampshire lost 500 jobs. New Hampshire private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. New Hampshire is tied for 38th 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 Professional and Business Services (+200) and Financial Activities (+100).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-600) and Other Services (-400).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+4,000) and Professional and Business Services (+2,900).
• The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-2,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,500).

New Hampshire

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 Hampshire fell to 65.4 percent in August from 65.5 percent in the prior month.

• New Hampshire ranks 11th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Hampshire was 69 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 65.1 percent occurring in November 2021.

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