For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, September 19, 2025 USDL-25-1407
Technical information:
Employment: (202) 691-6559 * sminfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/sae
Unemployment: (202) 691-6392 * lausinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/lau
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- AUGUST 2025
Unemployment rates were higher in August in 3 states, lower in 2 states, and stable in 45
states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Seventeen states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 9 states had
decreases, and 24 states had little change. The national unemployment rate, 4.3 percent,
changed little over the month and from August 2024.
In August 2025, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 1 state, decreased in the District of
Columbia, and was essentially unchanged in 49 states. Over the year, nonfarm payroll
employment increased in 20 states and was essentially unchanged in 30 states and the District.
This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian labor force and
unemployment data are modeled based largely on a survey of households. These data pertain to
people by where they reside. The employment data are from an establishment survey that
measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry. These data pertain to jobs on
payrolls defined by where the establishments are located. For more information about the
concepts and statistical methodologies used by these two programs, see the Technical Note.
Unemployment
South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in August, 1.9 percent. The District of Columbia had
the highest unemployment rate, 6.0 percent. The next highest rate was in California, 5.5
percent. In total, 22 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.3 percent,
3 states and the District had higher rates, and 25 states had rates that were not appreciably
different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
In August, three states had unemployment rate increases: Delaware and Maryland (+0.2
percentage point each) and Minnesota (+0.1 point). Two states had rate decreases: Colorado
(-0.3 percentage point) and Alabama (-0.1 point). The remaining 45 states and the District of
Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a month earlier,
though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
(See table B.)
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases from August
2024, the largest of which was in Oregon (+0.8 percentage point). Nine states had over-the-
year rate decreases, the largest of which was in Indiana (-0.8 percentage point). Twenty-four
states had jobless rates that were not notably different from those a year earlier, though
some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See
table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
In August 2025, nonfarm payroll employment increased in Utah (+8,300, or +0.5 percent),
decreased in the District of Columbia (-5,300, or -0.7 percent), and was essentially unchanged
in 49 states. (See tables D and 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 20 states and was essentially unchanged
in 30 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+195,600),
New York (+125,100), and Pennsylvania (+101,200). The largest percentage increase occurred in
South Carolina (+3.1 percent), followed by Hawaii and New Mexico (+1.9 percent each). (See
table E.)
_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for August is scheduled to
be released on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and
Unemployment news release for September is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, October
21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., August 2025, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 4.3
|
Alabama .............................| 2.9
California ..........................| 5.5
District of Columbia ................| 6.0
Florida .............................| 3.8
Georgia .............................| 3.4
Hawaii ..............................| 2.7
Idaho ...............................| 3.7
Indiana .............................| 3.6
Maine ...............................| 3.2
Maryland ............................| 3.6
|
Michigan ............................| 5.2
Minnesota ...........................| 3.6
Montana .............................| 2.9
Nebraska ............................| 3.0
Nevada ..............................| 5.3
New Hampshire .......................| 3.0
North Carolina ......................| 3.7
North Dakota ........................| 2.5
Oklahoma ............................| 3.1
South Dakota ........................| 1.9
|
Tennessee ...........................| 3.6
Utah ................................| 3.3
Vermont .............................| 2.5
Virginia ............................| 3.6
Wisconsin ...........................| 3.1
Wyoming .............................| 3.2
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from July 2025 to August 2025, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | July | August | change(p)
| 2025 | 2025(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 3.0 | 2.9 | -0.1
Colorado .......................| 4.5 | 4.2 | -.3
Delaware .......................| 4.1 | 4.3 | .2
Maryland .......................| 3.4 | 3.6 | .2
Minnesota ......................| 3.5 | 3.6 | .1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from August 2024 to August 2025, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | August | August | change(p)
| 2024 | 2025(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 3.1 | 2.9 | -0.2
Arizona ........................| 3.7 | 4.1 | .4
Arkansas .......................| 3.5 | 3.8 | .3
Connecticut ....................| 3.2 | 3.8 | .6
Delaware .......................| 3.7 | 4.3 | .6
District of Columbia ...........| 5.3 | 6.0 | .7
Florida ........................| 3.4 | 3.8 | .4
Georgia ........................| 3.6 | 3.4 | -.2
Hawaii .........................| 3.0 | 2.7 | -.3
Illinois .......................| 5.0 | 4.4 | -.6
| | |
Indiana ........................| 4.4 | 3.6 | -.8
Iowa ...........................| 3.2 | 3.8 | .6
Kentucky .......................| 5.2 | 4.7 | -.5
Maryland .......................| 3.2 | 3.6 | .4
Massachusetts ..................| 4.2 | 4.8 | .6
Minnesota ......................| 3.2 | 3.6 | .4
Mississippi ....................| 3.3 | 3.9 | .6
Missouri .......................| 3.7 | 4.1 | .4
Nevada .........................| 5.7 | 5.3 | -.4
New Hampshire ..................| 2.6 | 3.0 | .4
| | |
New Jersey .....................| 4.6 | 5.0 | .4
New York .......................| 4.4 | 4.0 | -.4
Ohio ...........................| 4.4 | 5.0 | .6
Oregon .........................| 4.2 | 5.0 | .8
Pennsylvania ...................| 3.6 | 4.0 | .4
Virginia .......................| 2.9 | 3.6 | .7
West Virginia ..................| 4.1 | 3.8 | -.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
July 2025 to August 2025, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | July | August |---------------------------
| 2025 | 2025(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
District of Columbia .........| 763,100 | 757,800 | -5,300 | -0.7
Utah .........................| 1,766,800 | 1,775,100 | 8,300 | .5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
August 2024 to August 2025, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | August | August |---------------------------
| 2024 | 2025(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ......................| 3,212,300 | 3,253,700 | 41,400 | 1.3
Arkansas .....................| 1,367,500 | 1,385,800 | 18,300 | 1.3
Florida ......................| 9,950,200 | 10,048,400 | 98,200 | 1.0
Hawaii .......................| 639,500 | 651,400 | 11,900 | 1.9
Idaho ........................| 869,000 | 881,900 | 12,900 | 1.5
Michigan .....................| 4,489,500 | 4,533,600 | 44,100 | 1.0
Minnesota ....................| 3,010,600 | 3,053,100 | 42,500 | 1.4
Mississippi ..................| 1,189,300 | 1,205,500 | 16,200 | 1.4
Missouri .....................| 2,987,900 | 3,021,800 | 33,900 | 1.1
New Mexico ...................| 888,000 | 904,800 | 16,800 | 1.9
| | | |
New York .....................| 9,883,500 | 10,008,600 | 125,100 | 1.3
North Carolina ...............| 5,014,600 | 5,095,400 | 80,800 | 1.6
Ohio .........................| 5,653,400 | 5,730,200 | 76,800 | 1.4
Oklahoma .....................| 1,778,900 | 1,802,300 | 23,400 | 1.3
Pennsylvania .................| 6,147,900 | 6,249,100 | 101,200 | 1.6
South Carolina ...............| 2,355,200 | 2,427,200 | 72,000 | 3.1
Tennessee ....................| 3,373,900 | 3,408,300 | 34,400 | 1.0
Texas ........................| 14,152,100 | 14,347,700 | 195,600 | 1.4
Utah .........................| 1,744,700 | 1,775,100 | 30,400 | 1.7
Virginia .....................| 4,237,200 | 4,281,600 | 44,400 | 1.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
United States Department of Labor
