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.
New Jersey Employment Snapshot
In December, New Jersey added 7,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6 percent. In the prior month, New Jersey added 900 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey added 30,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points from 4.8 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. New Jersey is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In December, New Jersey’s private sector added 6,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 23,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Jersey added 300 net private payroll jobs.
In December, employment in New Jersey fell by 6,858, and over the past 12 months it rose by 6,715.
New Jersey’s labor force participation rate fell to 64.4 percent in December from 64.5 percent and is tied for 20th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.4 percentage points.
New Jersey Payroll Employment
New Jersey added 7,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, New Jersey added 900 jobs. New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. New Jersey is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
New Jersey added 6,800 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, New Jersey added 300 jobs. New Jersey private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. New Jersey is tied for 40th 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 Professional and Business Services (3,900) and Education and Health Services (2,600).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Manufacturing (-500) and Construction (-2,100).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (44,000) and Government (6,900).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-6,500) and Professional and Business Services (-8,600).
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 64.4 percent in December from 64.5 percent in the prior month.
New Jersey is tied for 20th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Jersey was 65.1 percent occurring in June 2023, and the 10-year low was 60.6 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.