Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2013-12-20

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in November. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from October and five states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-two states had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, seven states and the District of Columbia had increases, and one state had no change. The national jobless rate declined to 7.0 percent from October and was 0.8 percentage point lower than in November 2012. In November 2013, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 43 states and decreased in 7 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+44,300), Texas (+28,700), and Indiana (+25,200). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Ohio (-12,000), followed by North Carolina (-6,500) and Washington (-6,000).