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.

Arizona Employment Snapshot

• In December, Arizona added 3,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Arizona added 3,500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arizona added 54,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points from 4.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Arizona is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Arizona’s private sector added 2,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 45,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arizona added 2,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Arizona fell by 8,747, and over the past 12 months it rose by 37,432.

• Arizona’s labor force participation rate fell to 61.7 percent in December from 61.9 percent and ranks 35th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.5 percentage points.

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Arizona Payroll Employment

• Arizona added 3,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Arizona added 3,500 jobs. Arizona 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. Arizona is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arizona added 2,100 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Arizona added 2,300 jobs. Arizona private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Arizona is tied for 18th 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 (2,000) and Professional and Business Services (1,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Financial Activities (-400) and Construction (-1,800).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (25,400) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (9,700).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (-1,200) and Construction (-2,900).

Arizona 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 Arizona fell to 61.7 percent in December from 61.9 percent in the prior month.

• Arizona ranks 35th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arizona was 62.3 percent occurring in August 2024, and the 10-year low was 60.3 percent occurring in April 2020.

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