Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-12-18

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in November. Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia recorded over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, 8 states registered rate increases, and 6 states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the year, jobless rates increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The national unemployment rate edged down in No- vember to 10.0 percent, 0.2 percentage point lower than October, but 3.2 points higher than November 2008. In November, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 19 states and de- creased in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over- the-month increase in employment occurred in Texas (+17,300), followed by Ohio (+5,400), Georgia (+4,800), and Arizona and Iowa (+4,300 each). Alaska experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.5 percent), followed by Iowa (+0.3 percent).