July 2025 | Released August 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 15, and remained unchanged in 30.

• 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 4.2 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Wyoming.

Pennsylvania

Employment snapshot

• In July, Pennsylvania added 7,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4 percent. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 8,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Pennsylvania added 97,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, Pennsylvania’s private sector added 6,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 93,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 9,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in Pennsylvania fell by 5,833, and over the past 12 months it fell by 60,670.

• Pennsylvania’s labor force participation rate fell to 61.4 percent in July from 61.5 percent and is tied for 34th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.

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Pennsylvania

Payroll employment

• Pennsylvania added 7,100 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 8,700 jobs. Pennsylvania nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Pennsylvania added 6,900 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 9,600 jobs. Pennsylvania private sector payroll employment has increased in each of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 83,000 jobs in July, or 0.1 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 6th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2025 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+5,900) and Financial Activities (+3,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-2,900) and Other Services (-700).

From July 2024 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+50,400) and Leisure and Hospitality (+17,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,100) and Manufacturing (-1,100).

Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania fell to 61.4 percent in July from 61.5 percent in the prior month.

• Pennsylvania is tied for 34th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Pennsylvania was 63.4 percent occurring in March 2016, and the 10-year low was 60.8 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.2 percent in July.