January 2025
Released March 17, 2025
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United States Employment Snapshot
In January, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 19, and remained unchanged in 23.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 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 percent.
In January, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 19. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in South Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Georgia.
Massachusetts Employment Snapshot
In January, Massachusetts added 3,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 7,000 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.7 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts ranks 48th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In January, Massachusetts’s private sector added 2,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 5,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 6,800 net private payroll jobs.
In January, employment in Massachusetts rose by 6,784, and over the past 12 months it rose by 44,037.
Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate rose to 66.5 percent in January from 66.3 percent and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.6 percentage points.
Massachusetts Payroll Employment
Massachusetts added 3,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 7,000 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts ranks 48th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Massachusetts added 2,100 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 6,800 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 81,000 jobs in January, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 47th 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 January were Leisure and Hospitality (4,000) and Government (1,100).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-1,000) and Education and Health Services (-2,200).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (11,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (7,500).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Professional and Business Services (-6,500) and Construction (-6,700).
Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts rose to 66.5 percent in January from 66.3 percent in the prior month.
Massachusetts ranks 10th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Massachusetts was 67.4 percent occurring in January 2019, and the 10-year low was 61.1 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in January.