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.

Wisconsin Employment Snapshot

• In December, Wisconsin lost 1,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3 percent. In the prior month, Wisconsin added 100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Wisconsin added 20,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Wisconsin is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Wisconsin’s private sector added 3,300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 16,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Wisconsin lost 2,400 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Wisconsin rose by 2,499, and over the past 12 months it rose by 31,885.

• Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate rose to 65.9 percent in December from 65.8 percent and ranks 12th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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Wisconsin Payroll Employment

• Wisconsin lost 1,200 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Wisconsin added 100 jobs. Wisconsin 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. Wisconsin is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Wisconsin added 3,300 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Wisconsin lost 2,400 jobs. Wisconsin 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. Wisconsin 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 (1,100) and Manufacturing tied with Information; and Leisure and Hospitality (1,000).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-700) and Government (-4,500).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities tied with Education and Health Services (4,700) and Government (4,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (0) and Financial Activities (-4,400).

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin rose to 65.9 percent in December from 65.8 percent in the prior month.

• Wisconsin ranks 12th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Wisconsin was 68.2 percent occurring in August 2017, and the 10-year low was 65.2 percent occurring in November 2022.

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