Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2014-03-17

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in January. Forty- three states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from December, one state had an increase, and six states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. All 50 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier. The national jobless rate, 6.6 percent, was little changed from December but was 1.3 percentage points lower than in January 2013. In January 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 23 states and decreased in 27 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+33,900), Ohio (+16,700), and Arizona (+8,900). The largest over- the-month decrease in employment occurred in California (-31,500), followed by Illinois (-27,600) and Kentucky (-18,500). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Vermont (+1.0 percent), followed by Rhode Island (+0.8 percent) and Nevada (+0.7 percent).