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.

Texas

Employment snapshot

• In August, Texas added 17,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent. In the prior month, Texas added 5,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Texas added 195,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 4.2 percent.

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

• In August, Texas’s private sector added 10,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 158,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Texas added 5,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Texas fell by 127, and over the past 12 months it rose by 180,457.

• Texas’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 64.7 percent in August and is tied for 14th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.4 percentage points.

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Texas

Payroll employment

• Texas added 17,600 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Texas added 5,000 jobs. Texas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

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

• Texas added 10,400 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Texas added 5,200 jobs. Texas private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. Texas is tied for 14th 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 Leisure and Hospitality (+10,900) and State and Local Government (+7,800).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-3,400) and Other Services (-1,200).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+46,400) and Leisure and Hospitality (+39,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-7,000) and Federal Government (+0).

Texas

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 Texas remained unchanged at 64.7 percent in August.

• Texas is tied for 14th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Texas was 65.1 percent occurring in September 2024, and the 10-year low was 60.3 percent in April 2020.

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