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Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

Did the U.S. have more jobs in 2025 than in any previous year?

Gabriel Vinocur, Econofact
yes

In 2025, there were more U.S. jobs in raw numbers than ever before, although the number of Americans employed as a percentage of working-age adults was well below record highs. 

About 159.6 million people were employed in non-farm jobs in the U.S. in September 2025, more than at any other point in history. 

But a more relevant measure is the employment-population ratio, which represents the proportion of working-age adults who have a job. This statistic peaked at 64.7 percent in April 2000. It was 59.7 percent in September 2025, and it ranged between 59 and 61 percent from 2023 to 2025.

After rapid job growth following the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of jobs added slowed in 2025. The 12-month increase in employment of 0.83 percent in September 2025 was the smallest since March 2021.

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