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January 09, 2026US EMPLOYMENT, DECEMBER AND ANNUAL 2025 Monthly change (December 2025 vs November 2025, seasonally adjusted)
US non-farm payroll employment increased 50,000 in December 2025, rising to 159.5 million persons.
The increase of 50,000 in US nonfarm payroll employment was weaker than the revised gain of 56,000 reported for November 2025.
The US unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage point to 4.4% in December 2025. The US unemployment rate has remained at or above 4% since May 2024.
The US participation rate edged down 0.1 percentage point to 62.4% in December 2025. The US participation rate had stabilized below levels observed prior to the pandemic and has grown slightly since July 2025.
The US employment to population ratio edged up 0.1 percentage point to 59.7% in December 2025. As with the participation rate, the US employment rate remains below pre-pandemic levels and has declined slightly since mid-2023.
Annual
The average US employment level increased by 1.4 million in 2025 to 159.4 million compared to an increase of 2.1 million in 2024. The unemployment rate rose to an averaged (eleven-month average that excludes October) of 4.3% in 2025.
The average (eleven-month average that excludes October) participation rate was 62.4% in 2025, while the US employment rate (eleven-month average that excludes October) was 59.8% in 2025.
Note: Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown.
Note: Canadian and US labour force statistics refer to different working-age cohorts.
Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle
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