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.

North Dakota Employment Snapshot

• In December, North Dakota added 1,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 2.5 percent. In the prior month, North Dakota added 1,900 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, North Dakota added 11,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 1.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. North Dakota is tied for 4th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, North Dakota’s private sector added 1,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 6,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, North Dakota added 1,800 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in North Dakota rose by 964, and over the past 12 months it rose by 1,677.

• North Dakota’s labor force participation rate rose to 69 percent in December from 68.9 percent and ranks 2nd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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North Dakota Payroll Employment

• North Dakota added 1,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, North Dakota added 1,900 jobs. North Dakota 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. North Dakota is tied for 4th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• North Dakota added 1,400 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, North Dakota added 1,800 jobs. North Dakota private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. North Dakota ranks 16th 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 (300) and Education and Health Services tied with Leisure and Hospitality (200).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (100) and Manufacturing tied with Information; and Government (0).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Government (4,800) and Education and Health Services (3,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (0) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,000).

North Dakota 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 North Dakota rose to 69 percent in December from 68.9 percent in the prior month.

• North Dakota ranks 2nd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in North Dakota was 72 percent in December 2014, and the 10-year low was 68.4 percent occurring in March 2021.

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