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.

Ohio

Employment snapshot

• In August, Ohio added 9,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5 percent. In the prior month, Ohio added 4,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Ohio added 76,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 4.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Ohio is tied for 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, Ohio’s private sector added 8,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 71,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Ohio added 1,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Ohio fell by 6,796, and over the past 12 months it fell by 1,782.

• Ohio’s labor force participation rate fell to 62.5 percent in August from 62.6 percent and ranks 28th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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Ohio

Payroll employment

• Ohio added 9,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Ohio added 4,300 jobs. Ohio nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Ohio is tied for 9th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Ohio added 8,300 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Ohio added 1,600 jobs. Ohio 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. Ohio is tied for 8th 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 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+2,300) and State and Local Government (+2,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-500) and Professional and Business Services (-200).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+21,300) and Construction (+13,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,100) and Mining and Logging (-200).

Ohio

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 Ohio fell to 62.5 percent in August from 62.6 percent in the prior month.

• Ohio ranks 28th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 63.6 percent occurring in January 2020, and the 10-year low was 59.5 percent in April 2020.

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