1 articles · Updated · New Hampshire Public Radio · Jun 16
Summary
About 4,000 fewer people were working in New Hampshire in December 2025 than a year earlier, according to new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Federal layoffs, a state hiring freeze and University of New Hampshire cuts helped drive public-sector losses, while retail, wholesale and manufacturing also shed jobs, with some weakness tied to tariffs.
Healthcare, arts and entertainment, casinos and restaurants added jobs, suggesting consumer spending has stayed firm even as other sectors contracted.
Statewide wages rose roughly 4.6%, led by a 6.1% gain in Hillsborough County to an average $1,719 a week, though lower-paying counties remained near $1,100.
That pay growth still trails the Northeast's 5% inflation rate and reflects averages that may be lifted by higher-paid jobs rather than broad gains.