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.
New Jersey Employment Snapshot
In January, New Jersey lost 6,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6 percent. In the prior month, New Jersey added 17,600 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey added 36,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 4.4 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 31st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In January, New Jersey’s private sector added 5,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 39,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Jersey added 16,700 net private payroll jobs.
In January, employment in New Jersey fell by 4,413, and over the past 12 months it rose by 12,786.
New Jersey’s labor force participation rate fell to 64 percent in January from 64.1 percent and ranks 21st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.5 percentage points.
New Jersey Payroll Employment
New Jersey lost 6,100 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, New Jersey added 17,600 jobs. New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 31st in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
New Jersey added 5,900 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, New Jersey added 16,700 jobs. New Jersey private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 81,000 jobs in January, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 21st 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 Professional and Business Services (3,800) and Education and Health Services (1,300).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-500) and Government (-12,000).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (36,100) and Leisure and Hospitality (5,700).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-4,800) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-5,200).
New Jersey 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 New Jersey fell to 64 percent in January from 64.1 percent in the prior month.
New Jersey ranks 21st in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Jersey was 65 percent occurring in June 2023, and the 10-year low was 60.7 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in January.