Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2015-01-27

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in December. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from November, four states had increases, and four states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, two states had increases, and two states had no change. The national jobless rate declined to 5.6 percent from 5.8 percent in November and was 1.1 percentage points lower than in December 2013. In December 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 41 states and decreased in 9 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+45,700), New York (+30,400), and Illinois (+17,100). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Minnesota (-5,200), followed by Idaho (-2,700) and New Mexico (-1,600).