Regional And State Employment And Unemployment: March 2006 — 2006-04-21

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in March. Overall, 33 states registered over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, 9 states recorded increases, and 8 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Depart- ment of Labor reported today. Jobless rates were down over the year in 43 states and the District of Columbia, up in 5 states, and unchanged in 2 states. The national unemployment rate in March, 4.7 percent, was little changed from that of February, but was down by 0.4 percentage point from a year earlier. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 40 states and decreased in 10 states and the District of Columbia in March. The largest employment increases were reported in Florida (+24,500), Texas (+23,200), Arizona (+16,600), and South Carolina (+14,100).