Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2015-11-20

Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in October. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from September, 3 states had increases, and 15 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, three states had increases, and four states had no change. The national jobless rate was essentially unchanged from September at 5.0 percent and was 0.7 percentage point lower than in October 2014. In October 2015, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 40 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 9 states, and was unchanged in Delaware. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+41,200), Florida (+35,200), and Ohio (+30,800). The largest over-the-month decreases in employment occurred in Louisiana (-6,200), Indiana (-3,400), and North Carolina (-3,100).