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.

West Virginia

Employment snapshot

• In December, West Virginia lost 1,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.6 percent. In the prior month, West Virginia lost 700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, West Virginia lost 2,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.1 percent.

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

• In December, West Virginia’s private sector lost 1,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, West Virginia lost 600 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in West Virginia fell by 421, and over the past 12 months it fell by 2,501.

• West Virginia’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 54.6 percent in December and ranks 51st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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West Virginia

Payroll employment

• West Virginia lost 1,100 net payroll jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, West Virginia lost 700 jobs. West Virginia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 4 of the past 12 months.

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

• West Virginia lost 1,300 private sector jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, West Virginia lost 600 jobs. West 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. West 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 (+400) and Other Services (+300).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-700) and Leisure and Hospitality (-400).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Construction (+2,500) and Other Services (+800).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,300) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,900).

West 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 West Virginia remained unchanged at 54.6 percent in December.

• West Virginia ranks 51st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in West Virginia was 55.1 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 52.7 percent in April 2020.

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