In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
In May, District of Columbia added 5,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 5.3 percent. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 1,400 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, District of Columbia added 7,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.8 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. District of Columbia is tied for 42nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, District of Columbia’s private sector added 4,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 5,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 1,800 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in District of Columbia fell by 114, and over the past 12 months it rose by 9,284.
District of Columbia’s labor force participation rate fell to 72.7 percent in May from 72.8 percent and ranks 1st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 1.1 percentage points.
District of Columbia added 5,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.6 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 1,400 jobs. District of Columbia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. District of Columbia is tied for 42nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
District of Columbia added 4,800 private sector jobs, or 0.9 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 1,800 jobs. District of Columbia private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. District of Columbia is tied for 35th 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 May were Professional and Business Services (1,800) and Leisure and Hospitality (1,400).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (0) and Financial Activities (-200).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Leisure and Hospitality (2,600) and Other Services (2,300).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-400) and Financial Activities (-900).
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 District of Columbia fell to 72.7 percent in May from 72.8 percent in the prior month.
District of Columbia ranks 1st in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in District of Columbia was 72.8 percent in April 2024, and the 10-year low was 68 percent in May 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.