Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2014-10-21

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in September. Thirty-one states had unemployment rate decreases from August, 8 states had increases, and 11 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, five states had increases, and three states had no change. The national jobless rate declined to 5.9 percent from August and was 1.3 percentage points lower than in September 2013. In September 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 39 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 10 states, and was unchanged in South Dakota. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+36,400), Illinois (+19,300), and Colorado (+14,600). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in California (-9,800), followed by Pennsylvania (-9,600) and Virginia (-7,400).