Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-11-20

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed or higher in October. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia record- ed over-the-month unemployment rate increases, 13 states registered rate decreases, and 8 states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta- tistics reported today. Over the year, jobless rates increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The national unemployment rate rose to 10.2 percent in October, up 0.4 percentage point from September and 3.6 points from October 2008. In October, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 28 states and the Dis- trict of Columbia, decreased in 21 states, and remained unchanged in 1 state. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in Texas (+41,700), followed by Michigan (+38,600), California (+25,700), North Carolina (+12,100), and Pennsylvania (+10,600).