August 2025
Released September 19, 2025
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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 Jersey
Employment snapshot
In August, New Jersey added 4,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 5 percent. In the prior month, New Jersey added 6,400 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey added 28,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 4.6 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. New Jersey is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In August, New Jersey’s private sector added 7,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 36,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Jersey added 10,300 net private payroll jobs.
In August, employment in New Jersey fell by 7,062, and over the past 12 months it fell by 42,046.
New Jersey’s labor force participation rate fell to 63.5 percent in August from 63.6 percent and ranks 23rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.9 percentage points.
New Jersey
Payroll employment
New Jersey added 4,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, New Jersey added 6,400 jobs. New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. New Jersey is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
New Jersey added 7,000 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, New Jersey added 10,300 jobs. New Jersey private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. New Jersey is tied for 18th 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 (+7,300) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,700).
- The worst performing sectors were State and Local Government (-1,600) and Financial Activities (-1,400).
From August 2024 to August 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+30,200) and Professional and Business Services (+18,000).
- The worst performing sectors were Construction (-10,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-7,800).
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 fell to 63.5 percent in August from 63.6 percent in the prior month.
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 62.3 percent in August.