Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2012-11-20

Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in October. Thirty- seven states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, seven states posted rate increases, and six states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while eight states experienced increases. The national jobless rate, 7.9 percent, was essentially unchanged from September but was 1.0 percentage point lower than in October 2011. In October 2012, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 35 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 15 states. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in California (+45,800), followed by Texas (+36,600) and Georgia (+16,100). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Michigan (-16,500), followed by New Jersey (-11,700) and Minnesota (-8,100). Utah experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.7 percent), followed by Louisiana and Montana (+0.6 percent each).