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.

District of Columbia Employment Snapshot

• In December, District of Columbia added 1,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 5.5 percent. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 4,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, District of Columbia added 12,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 4.9 percent.

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

• In December, District of Columbia’s private sector added 1,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 12,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 3,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in District of Columbia rose by 1,375, and over the past 12 months it rose by 2,644.

• District of Columbia’s labor force participation rate rose to 71.9 percent in December from 71.8 percent and ranks 1st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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District of Columbia Payroll Employment

• District of Columbia added 1,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 4,200 jobs. District of Columbia 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. District of Columbia is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• District of Columbia added 1,700 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, District of Columbia added 3,200 jobs. District of Columbia 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. District of Columbia ranks 6th 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 Leisure and Hospitality (800) and Professional and Business Services (600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Other Services (-100) and Government (-300).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Professional and Business Services (5,500) and Leisure and Hospitality (3,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (0) and Financial Activities (-800).

District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia rose to 71.9 percent in December from 71.8 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 remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.