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.

Ohio Employment Snapshot

• In December, Ohio added 6,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent. In the prior month, Ohio added 5,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Ohio added 61,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.8 percentage points from 3.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Ohio is tied for 36th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Ohio’s private sector added 6,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 53,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Ohio added 4,700 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Ohio fell by 1,600, and over the past 12 months it rose by 57,230.

• Ohio’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.6 percent in December and is tied for 29th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.8 percentage points.

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Ohio Payroll Employment

• Ohio added 6,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Ohio added 5,200 jobs. Ohio nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Ohio is tied for 36th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Ohio added 6,300 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Ohio added 4,700 jobs. Ohio private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Ohio is tied for 32nd 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 (4,300) and Education and Health Services (1,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Other Services (-900) and Financial Activities (-1,600).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (28,500) and Construction (17,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (-4,300) and Financial Activities (-9,000).

Ohio 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 Ohio remained unchanged at 62.6 percent in December.

• Ohio is tied for 29th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 63.7 percent occurring in January 2020, and the 10-year low was 59.4 percent in April 2020.

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