Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2013-09-20

Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in August. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases, 17 states had decreases, and 15 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, 12 states had increases, and 2 states had no change. The national jobless rate was little changed from July at 7.3 percent and was 0.8 percentage point lower than in August 2012. In August 2013, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 29 states, decreased in 20 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in Montana. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in New York (+30,400) and California (+29,100). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Georgia (-16,100), followed by Ohio (-8,200) and Arizona (-7,900).