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.

Virginia Employment Snapshot

• In December, Virginia added 4,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3 percent. In the prior month, Virginia added 8,500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Virginia added 76,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

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

• In December, Virginia’s private sector added 3,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 59,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Virginia added 8,100 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Virginia rose by 2,749, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,332.

• Virginia’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 66 percent in December and ranks 11th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.5 percentage points.

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Virginia Payroll Employment

• Virginia added 4,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Virginia added 8,500 jobs. Virginia nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

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

• Virginia added 3,400 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Virginia added 8,100 jobs. Virginia 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. Virginia ranks 17th 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 Education and Health Services (5,300) and Leisure and Hospitality (4,700).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Construction (-1,500) and Financial Activities (-1,600).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (20,400) and Government (17,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (-800) and Financial Activities (-4,300).

Virginia 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 Virginia remained unchanged at 66 percent in December.

• Virginia ranks 11th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Virginia was 66.6 percent occurring in February 2024, and the 10-year low was 63.4 percent occurring in February 2021.

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