Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2009-10-21

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in September. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia recorded over-the-month unemployment rate increases, 19 states registered rate decreases, and 8 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 rose to 9.8 percent in September, up 0.1 percentage point from August and 3.6 points from September 2008. In September, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 43 states and the District of Columbia and increased in 7 states. The largest over- the-month decrease in the level of employment occurred in New York (-81,700), followed by Texas (-44,700), California (-39,300), Wisconsin (-21,700), and Michigan (-21,500).