New data released Friday by the Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) shows the state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2025 cracked 3.0%, continuing a gradual increase in joblessness since May 2023.
This is up 0.1% from Jan. 2025 and up 0.4% compared to February’s rate in 2024 of 2.6%. That said, Nebraska’s unemployment rate remains one of the lowest in the nation, tied for 5th lowest along with Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, and New Hampshire.
National unemployment rate rankings can be found here. Below is a graph showing Nebraska’s unemployment rate month-over-month from February 2023 to present, compiled from NDOL data.
Prepared by Chase Porter, KLIN News.
In May 2023, New Hampshire and South Dakota tied with Nebraska for the #1 lowest national rate in the country.
Currently, the national unemployment rate is 4.1%, up 0.1% from the January 2025 rate.
Despite these numbers, Nebraska’s labor force rose to 1,077,890 in February. Commissioner of Labor Katie Thurber called it a “record high for the second straight month,” with employment up by 10,000 compared to the previous year.
Of that labor force, 1,046,015 Nebraskans are employed, while 31,875 remain unemployed.
For more labor statistics from NDOL, visit dol.nebraska.gov.