February 2025 | Released March 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In February, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 29.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In February, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 23. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Wyoming. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Alaska.

Texas Employment Snapshot

• In February, Texas added 20,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 percent. In the prior month, Texas added 25,600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Texas added 182,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. Texas is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In February, Texas’s private sector added 16,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 142,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Texas added 19,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In February, employment in Texas rose by 23,606, and over the past 12 months it rose by 300,265.

• Texas’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 64.8 percent in February and ranks 19th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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Texas Payroll Employment

• Texas added 20,100 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Texas added 25,600 jobs. Texas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. Texas is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Texas added 16,200 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Texas added 19,300 jobs. Texas private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in February, or 0.1 percent. Texas is tied for 12th 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 February were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (7,400) and Leisure and Hospitality (6,000).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Professional and Business Services (-3,300) and Education and Health Services (-3,300).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Government (39,700) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (27,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (900) and Information (-100).

Texas 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 Texas remained unchanged at 64.8 percent in February.

• Texas ranks 19th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Texas was 65.1 percent occurring in September 2024, and the 10-year low was 60.3 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent in February.