#USJobsData
US Jobs Report December 2025 shows a soft but not alarming labor market
Payrolls added only 50000 jobs missing expectations while unemployment edged down to 4.4 percent. The market looks stable on the surface but hiring momentum is weak underneath.
2025 highlights
Total job growth reached 584000 or about 49000 per month making it the weakest year outside a recession since 2003
Job gains were narrowly focused
Health care added 21000 jobs
Social assistance added 17000 jobs
Food services added 27000 jobs
Retail lost 25000 jobs and most other sectors saw little to no growth. Federal employment fell by 277000 over the year.
Wages increased a modest 0.3 percent offering little relief.
Big picture
This is not a recession signal. Layoffs remain limited and unemployment is still low. However it is clearly a low hire low fire environment. Outside health care and service roles hiring is largely frozen and long term unemployment is rising.
Companies appear to be prioritizing AI driven productivity over new hiring while policy uncertainty keeps businesses cautious.
Markets reacted positively as rate cut expectations for 2026 stayed alive. For job seekers however 2025 felt like a jobless boom.
The next major update arrives February 6 2026 when benchmark revisions could make 2025 appear even weaker.