December 2025 | Released January 27, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 22.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.

• In December, payroll jobs rose in 23 states and fell in 27. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Delaware and Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Kansas and Nebraska.

Virginia

Employment snapshot

• In December, Virginia lost 4,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Virginia added 6,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Virginia lost 11,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 2.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Virginia is tied for 41st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Virginia’s private sector lost 5,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 2,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Virginia added 4,400 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Virginia fell by 4,791, and over the past 12 months it fell by 100,026.

• Virginia’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 64.3 percent in December and ranks 15th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.5 percentage points.

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Virginia

Payroll employment

• Virginia lost 4,100 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Virginia added 6,800 jobs. Virginia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Virginia is tied for 41st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Virginia lost 5,600 private sector jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Virginia added 4,400 jobs. Virginia private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Virginia is tied for 38th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From November 2025 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+1,800) and Private Education and Health Services (+600).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-3,400) and Professional and Business Services (-1,800).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+14,700) and State and Local Government (+14,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-23,900) and Leisure and Hospitality (-12,400).

Virginia

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 Virginia remained unchanged at 64.3 percent in December.

• Virginia ranks 15th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Virginia was 66.3 percent occurring in March 2023, and the 10-year low was 63.4 percent occurring in June 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in December.