Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2013-05-17

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in April. Forty states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases, three states had increases, and seven states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while seven states had increases. The national jobless rate was little changed in April, at 7.5 percent, but was 0.6 percentage point lower than a year earlier. In April, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states, decreased in 18 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in 2 states. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+33,100), New York (+25,300), and Florida (+17,000). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Wisconsin (-24,100), followed by Minnesota (-11,400). Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri, and Nevada had the largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment (+0.5 percent each).