State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2019-01-18

Unemployment rates were higher in December in 4 states, lower in 3 states, and stable in 43 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Fourteen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier and 36 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point from November to 3.9 percent but was 0.2 point lower than in December 2017. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 8 states in December 2018 and was essentially unchanged in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 40 states added nonfarm payroll jobs and 10 states and the District were essentially unchanged. Iowa had the lowest unemployment rate in December, 2.4 percent. Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.3 percent. In total, 16 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S.