New Jersey's unemployment rate remained steady at 4.6% in December, as reported by the state Department of Labor & Workforce Development. Employers in the state added 7,200 jobs during the month, according to preliminary federal estimates.
The year concluded with New Jersey holding 4,396,600 nonfarm jobs, marking an increase of 30,300 from December 2023. The state's unemployment rate showed a slight decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous year but was still higher than the national rate.
Nationally, unemployment stood at 4.1% last month, which was a rise of 0.3 percentage points from December 2023.
In New Jersey, six out of nine private industries saw employment growth in December compared to November. These sectors included professional and business services (+3,900), education and health services (+2,600), leisure and hospitality (+1,300), trade, transportation, and utilities (+900); other services (+600), and financial activities (+200).
Conversely, job losses were noted in construction (-2,100) and manufacturing (-500). The information sector did not experience any change over the month. Meanwhile, the public sector gained 400 jobs in December.
Over the past year, approximately 77% of New Jersey's job gains were within the private sector. Notable increases were seen in private education and health services (+44,000); trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,000); and other services (+300).
Year-over-year declines occurred in several sectors: professional and business services (-8,600); information (-6,500); leisure and hospitality (-4,300); manufacturing (-2,300); financial activities (-1,400); and construction (-800).
The public sector recorded an increase of 6,900 jobs over the past year.
Further details can be found in the New Jersey December 2024 Employment Situation Report data tables.
