Synopsis "Regional and State Employment and Unemployment? January 2015"
Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in January. Twenty-four states had unemployment rate decreases from December, 8 states had increases, and 18 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, three states had increases, and two states had no change. The national jobless rate was little changed from December at 5.7 percent but was 0.9 percentage point lower than in January 2014. In January 2015, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 39 states, decreased in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in North Carolina. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+67,300), Ohio (+25,100), and Michigan (+24,200). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Virginia (-10,900), followed by Minnesota (-7,900) and Louisiana (-7,500). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Idaho (+1.4 percent), followed by Hawaii (+0.9 percent) and Utah (+0.7 percent). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Maine (-0.6 percent), followed by Louisiana and New Hampshire (-0.4 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 49 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in Maine (-0.1 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+4.3 percent), followed by Utah (+4.0 percent) and Florida and Nevada (+3.6 percent each).
