According to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released Thursday by the New York State Department of Labor, the number of private sector jobs in New York State increased over the month by 14,500, or 0.2%, to 8,466,400 in January 2025. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 0.1% in January 2025.
New York State’s private sector jobs (not seasonally adjusted) increased by 155,400, or 1.9%, over the year in January 2025, exceeding the 1.3% increase in the number of private sector jobs in the U.S.
New York State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held constant at 4.4% in January 2025. At the same time, New York State’s labor force (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 900. The statewide labor force participation rate decreased to 60.8% in January 2025.
The number of private sector jobs in New York State is based on a payroll survey of New York businesses conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Monthly payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more complete data become available the following month. The BLS calculates New York State’s unemployment rate based partly upon the results of the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) of approximately 3,100 households in the State.
Jobs data are revised at the end of each year for all states and the nation as more complete information becomes available from employers’ Unemployment Insurance records. This process is called “benchmarking” and is federally mandated. For a comparison of 2023 – 2024 annual data after benchmarking, see Summary of Annual Results beginning on page 14.
Labor force data, including unemployment rates, are also revised at the end of each year, using methods established by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The revised labor force data show that New York State’s annual average unemployment rate increased from 4.1% in 2023 to 4.3% in 2024.
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