December 2025 Jobs Day Analysis

The Joint Center analyzes the employment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and showcases how the numbers impact Black workers. Our December Jobs Day analysis is below.

From November to December, the unemployment rate for Black workers decreased to 7.5 percent, the highest among all racial groups.

From November to December, the unemployment rate for Black men decreased from 8.4 percent to 7.2 percent.

The unemployment rate for Black women decreased from 8.0 percent in November, a revision from 8.1 to 7.8 percent in December.

From November to December, the unemployment rate for young Black workers decreased from 20.8 percent to 14.4 percent, and the overall unemployment rate for all young workers decreased from 9.9 percent to 9.2 percent.

In December, the overall unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, while the Black unemployment rate was 7.5 percent.

At 7.5 percent, the Black unemployment rate is the highest among all racial groups: White (3.8 percent), Hispanic (4.9 percent), and Asian (3.6 percent).

In 2025, the average unemployment rate for Black workers was 6.9 percent, compared to six percent in 2024. The 2025 Black unemployment average only includes data from 11 months due to the government shutdown, while the 2024 average includes data from all 12 months.

In 2025, the highest unemployment rate for all workers was 4.5 percent in November, a revision from 4.6, and for Black workers it was 8.2 percent in November, a revision from 8.3 percent, and the highest since August 2021 (8.6 percent).

In 2025, the Black unemployment rate reached over eight percent, the highest in four years and the total job gains were the weakest since 2020. Employers must center job creation, and policymakers and congressional leaders must address disparities to improve the economic conditions for Black communities. 

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