Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2013-01-18

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in December. Twenty-two states recorded unemployment rate decreases, 16 states and the District of Columbia posted increases, and 12 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, six states experienced increases, and two states had no change. The national jobless rate, 7.8 percent, was unchanged from November and was 0.7 percentage point lower than in December 2011. In December 2012, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 27 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 23 states. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in New York (+35,100), followed by New Jersey (+30,200), Georgia (+14,400), and Missouri (+10,200). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in California (-17,500), followed by Florida (-15,300), Louisiana (-11,400), and Michigan (-10,600).