April 2025 | Released May 21, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Tennessee Employment Snapshot

• In April, Tennessee added 8,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Tennessee added 1,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Tennessee added 24,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 3.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Tennessee is tied for 35th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Tennessee’s private sector added 8,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 15,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Tennessee added 500 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Tennessee rose by 12,741, and over the past 12 months it rose by 33,443.

• Tennessee’s labor force participation rate rose to 59.7 percent in April from 59.6 percent and ranks 40th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Tennessee Payroll Employment

• Tennessee added 8,600 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Tennessee added 1,400 jobs. Tennessee nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Tennessee is tied for 35th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Tennessee added 8,300 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Tennessee added 500 jobs. Tennessee private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Tennessee is tied for 37th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities tied with Professional and Business Services (3,000) and Leisure and Hospitality (1,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Construction (-1,300) and Manufacturing (-1,400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Government (9,000) and Leisure and Hospitality (7,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Construction (-2,600) and Manufacturing (-3,500).

Tennessee 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 Tennessee rose to 59.7 percent in April from 59.6 percent in the prior month.

• Tennessee ranks 40th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Tennessee was 61.9 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 58.8 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.