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 York

Employment snapshot

• In August, New York lost 16,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4 percent. In the prior month, New York added 56,900 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New York added 125,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points from 4.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. New York is tied for 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, New York’s private sector lost 13,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 77,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New York added 12,400 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in New York fell by 12,206, and over the past 12 months it rose by 47,311.

• New York’s labor force participation rate fell to 60.8 percent in August from 60.9 percent and ranks 36th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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New York

Payroll employment

• New York lost 16,100 net payroll jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, New York added 56,900 jobs. New York nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. New York is tied for 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New York lost 13,300 private sector jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, New York added 12,400 jobs. New York private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. New York is tied for 23rd 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 Private Education and Health Services (+4,800) and Other Services (+1,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-8,200) and Financial Activities (-5,200).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+93,400) and State and Local Government (+52,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-13,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,700).

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 fell to 60.8 percent in August 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 62.3 percent in August.