December 2025 jobs report: only 50,000 jobs added, capping worst hiring year since 2020

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. added just 50,000 jobs in December 2025, capping a year in which only 584,000 total jobs were created — the weakest annual hiring since 2020 and second-worst since the 2008 financial crisis. Unemployment fell to 4.4%, but the decline was partly attributed to BLS seasonal adjustments. October was revised to a loss of 173,000 jobs from an initial -105,000. Gains were concentrated in food services and health care; losses hit retail and manufacturing.