Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2010-11-23

Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in October. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, 14 states regis- tered rate increases, and 17 states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia posted unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, 16 states reported increases, and 5 states had no change. The national jobless rate was unchanged in October at 9.6 percent but was down from 10.1 percent a year earlier. In October, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 6 states, and was unchanged in 3 states. The largest over- the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+47,900), New York (+40,600), California (+38,900), Michigan (+19,000), and Arkansas (+17,400).