December 2024

Released January 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 7, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In December, payroll jobs rose in 43 states and fell in 7. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Idaho Employment Snapshot

• In December, Idaho added 3,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Idaho added 3,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Idaho added 31,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Idaho ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Idaho’s private sector added 2,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 25,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Idaho added 3,600 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Idaho rose by 3,503, and over the past 12 months it rose by 27,717.

• Idaho’s labor force participation rate rose to 63.6 percent in December from 63.4 percent and ranks 23rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.9 percentage points.

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Idaho Payroll Employment

• Idaho added 3,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Idaho added 3,800 jobs. Idaho nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Idaho ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Idaho added 2,700 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Idaho added 3,600 jobs. Idaho private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Idaho ranks 1st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during December were Leisure and Hospitality (1,400) and Education and Health Services (600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-100) and Financial Activities (-100).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (10,800) and Manufacturing (5,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (-200) and Information (-800).

Idaho 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 Idaho rose to 63.6 percent in December from 63.4 percent in the prior month.

• Idaho ranks 23rd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Idaho was 64.5 percent in October 2019, and the 10-year low was 62.6 percent occurring in March 2024.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.