Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2010-03-10

Thirty states and the District of Columbia recorded over-the-month unemployment rate increases, 9 states registered rate decreases, and 11 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 fell from 10.0 percent in December to 9.7 percent in January, but was up from 7.7 percent a year earlier. In January, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 31 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 18 states, and remained unchanged in 1 state. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in California (+32,500), followed by Illinois (+26,000), New York (+25,500), Washington (+18,900), and Minnesota (+15,600). The District of Columbia experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+1.0 percent), followed by Alaska (+0.9 percent), Washington (+0.7 percent), Minnesota and Utah (+0.6 percent each), and Illinois (+0.5 percent).