Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2012-03-13

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in January. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, New York posted a rate increase, and four states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while New York experienced an increase and Illinois had no change. The national jobless rate decreased to 8.3 percent from December and was 0.8 percentage point lower than in January 2011. In January, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 37 states and decreased in 13 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in Texas (+67,200), followed by New York (+44,600) and Ohio (+32,800). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Florida (-38,600), followed by Pennsylvania (-9,000) and the District of Columbia (-6,100).