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.

Missouri Employment Snapshot

• In December, Missouri added 11,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, Missouri lost 1,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Missouri added 84,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Missouri is tied for 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Missouri’s private sector added 8,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 63,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Missouri lost 4,400 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Missouri rose by 3,919, and over the past 12 months it rose by 43,675.

• Missouri’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 63.9 percent in December and ranks 22nd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.8 percentage points.

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Missouri Payroll Employment

• Missouri added 11,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Missouri lost 1,700 jobs. Missouri nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Missouri is tied for 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Missouri added 8,400 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Missouri lost 4,400 jobs. Missouri private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Missouri ranks 4th 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 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (5,700) and Education and Health Services (2,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information tied with Other Services (-200) and Construction (-1,300).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (27,500) and Government (21,700).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (200) and Information (-1,000).

Missouri 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 Missouri remained unchanged at 63.9 percent in December.

• Missouri ranks 22nd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Missouri was 64.7 percent occurring in August 2016, and the 10-year low was 59.5 percent in May 2020.

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