The U.S. economy added 223,000 nonfarm jobs in December, while the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from the previous month to 3.5 percent, the lowest level since September, the Labor Department said Friday.
Growth in nonfarm payrolls exceeded the market consensus of an increase of 200,000.
The department revised downward the nonfarm payrolls growth reported for November from 263,000 to 256,000 and for October from 284,000 to 263,000.
In December, the private industry generated 220,000 jobs, and the government added 3,000 jobs.
A notable jump occurred in leisure and hospitality, which saw a gain of 67,000 jobs, as employment continues trending up in food and drinking establishments, recreation and other areas, the department said.
Still, employment in the industry was down by 932,000, or 5.5 percent, from its pre-coronavirus pandemic level in February 2020, it said.
Health care and construction were also bright spots in the December data.
Hourly pay in the private sector, a key factor behind consumer spending, averaged $32.82, up from $32.73 the previous month.
