Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2012-03-30

Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in February. Twenty-nine states recorded unemployment rate decreases, 8 states posted rate increases, and 13 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while only one state experienced an increase. The national jobless rate was unchanged from January at 8.3 percent but was 0.7 percentage point lower than in February 2011. In February, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 42 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 8 states. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in Ohio (+28,300), followed by Texas (+27,900) and New York (+24,700). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Nevada (-12,800), followed by Georgia (-8,300), Oregon (-6,400), and Kansas (-5,700).