June 2025 | Released July 18, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 11, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 33.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In June, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 24. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Alaska. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Rhode Island.

New Jersey

Employment snapshot

• In June, New Jersey lost 9,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.9 percent. In the prior month, New Jersey lost 2,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Jersey added 7,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 4.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey ranks 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In June, New Jersey’s private sector lost 6,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 6,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Jersey added 400 net private payroll jobs.

• In June, employment in New Jersey fell by 5,647, and over the past 12 months it fell by 31,312.

• New Jersey’s labor force participation rate fell to 63.7 percent in June from 63.8 percent and is tied for 20th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.

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New Jersey

Payroll employment

• New Jersey lost 9,700 net payroll jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, New Jersey lost 2,200 jobs. New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000 in June, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey ranks 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Jersey lost 6,800 private sector jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, New Jersey added 400 jobs. New Jersey private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 74,000 jobs in June, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey ranks 45th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From May 2025 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+1,200) and Financial Activities (+1,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,200) and State and Local Government (-2,900).

From June 2024 to June 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+33,300) and State and Local Government (+1,800).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-9,200) and Construction (-6,300).

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 63.7 percent in June from 63.8 percent in the prior month.

• New Jersey is tied for 20th 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 fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.3 percent in June.