Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2014-01-28

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in December. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from November, two states had increases, and nine states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, six states had increases, and two states had no change. The national jobless rate declined to 6.7 percent from November and was 1.2 percentage points lower than in December 2012. In December 2013, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states, decreased in 19 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in Vermont. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+17,600), Florida (+14,100), and California (+13,600). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in New Jersey (-36,300), followed by Pennsylvania (-11,400) and Kansas (-7,400).