October 1994 — 1994-12-01

Unemployment rates were lower in October 1994 than a month earlier in 26 states and the District of Columbia, higher in 16 states, and unchanged in 8 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment rate was 5.8 percent, little changed from 5.9 percent in September. Nonfarm payroll employment continued to advance, as 38 states recorded over-the-month gains. Arizona, California, Ohio, and Pennsylvania had the only unemployment rate decreases greater than half a percentage point between September and October, all 0.6 or 0.7 percentage point. Massachusetts was the only state to show an increase of a full percentage point or more, as its unemployment rate went from 5.2 to 6.4 percent. Three other states--Illinois, Louisiana, and Mississippi--showed increases of 0.6 to 0.8 percentage point. Nebraska continued to have the lowest state unemployment rate, 2.5 percent, and 16 other states had rates of 4.9 percent or less.