The U.S. labor market added 256,000 jobs in December, a strong showing at the end of 2024, as the labor market revved up toward the end of the year. The unemployment rate improved, inching down to 4.1 percent from 4.

The U.S. economy added 256,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1%, the Labor Department said Friday. Last month’s gain in nonfarm payrolls was the biggest since March and well above the 155,

December's jobs figure is even higher than November's, which experts say was skewed by people returning to work from strikes and hurricanes.