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.

Wisconsin

Employment snapshot

• In December, Wisconsin added 9,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.1 percent. In the prior month, Wisconsin lost 200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Wisconsin added 6,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Wisconsin is tied for 29th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Wisconsin’s private sector added 3,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 9,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Wisconsin added 1,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Wisconsin fell by 271, and over the past 12 months it fell by 65,574.

• Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate rose to 64.2 percent in December from 64.1 percent and ranks 16th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.7 percentage points.

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Wisconsin

Payroll employment

• Wisconsin added 9,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Wisconsin lost 200 jobs. Wisconsin nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Wisconsin is tied for 29th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Wisconsin added 3,600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Wisconsin added 1,300 jobs. Wisconsin private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Wisconsin is tied for 30th 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 (+5,400) and Leisure and Hospitality (+4,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-3,700) and Manufacturing (-1,100).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+12,900) and Leisure and Hospitality (+10,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-9,800) and Professional and Business Services (-6,200).

Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin rose to 64.2 percent in December from 64.1 percent in the prior month.

• Wisconsin ranks 16th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Wisconsin was 68.2 percent occurring in January 2016, and the 10-year low was 64.1 percent in November 2025.

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