State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release - 2025 M12 Results — 2026-01-27

Unemployment rates were higher in December in 6 states and stable in 44 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-one states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 8 states had decreases, and 21 states had little change. The national unemployment rate, 4.4 percent, changed little over the month but was 0.3 percentage point higher than in December 2024. In December 2025, nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 8 states, decreased in the District, and was essentially unchanged in 42 states. This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian labor force and unemployment data are modeled based largely on a survey of households. These data pertain to people by where they reside.