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.

Connecticut Employment Snapshot

• In December, Connecticut added 5,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3 percent. In the prior month, Connecticut added 1,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Connecticut added 20,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 1.2 percentage points from 4.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Connecticut is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Connecticut’s private sector added 4,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 19,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Connecticut added 2,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Connecticut rose by 8,581, and over the past 12 months it rose by 35,497.

• Connecticut’s labor force participation rate rose to 64.4 percent in December from 64.1 percent and is tied for 20th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Connecticut Payroll Employment

• Connecticut added 5,100 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Connecticut added 1,800 jobs. Connecticut nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Connecticut is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Connecticut added 4,700 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Connecticut added 2,200 jobs. Connecticut 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. Connecticut is tied for 23rd 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 (1,900) and Education and Health Services (1,400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Mining and Logging tied with Manufacturing (0) and Professional and Business Services (-100).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (15,300) and Leisure and Hospitality (3,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-400) and Professional and Business Services (-2,300).

Connecticut 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 Connecticut rose to 64.4 percent in December from 64.1 percent in the prior month.

• Connecticut is tied for 20th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Connecticut was 66.6 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 61.6 percent in May 2021.

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