Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in December. 
Twenty-two states recorded unemployment rate decreases, 16 states and the 
District of Columbia posted increases, and 12 states had no change, the U.S. 
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-two states and the District 
of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, six 
states experienced increases, and two states had no change. The national 
jobless rate, 7.8 percent, was unchanged from November and was 0.7 percentage 
point lower than in December 2011.

In December 2012, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 27 states and the 
District of Columbia and decreased in 23 states. The largest over-the-month 
increase in employment occurred in New York (+35,100), followed by New Jersey 
(+30,200), Georgia (+14,400), and Missouri (+10,200). The largest over-the-month 
decrease in employment occurred in California (-17,500), followed by Florida 
(-15,300), Louisiana (-11,400), and Michigan (-10,600). New Jersey experienced 
the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.8 percent),
followed by Kansas (+0.6 percent) and Alaska, Georgia, Missouri, and New York 
(+0.4 percent each). Hawaii experienced the largest over-the-month percentage 
decline in employment (-0.7 percent), followed by Louisiana and Wyoming (-0.6 
percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 44 states and 
decreased in 6 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-year 
percentage increases occurred in North Dakota (+3.6 percent) and Utah (+3.0 
percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred 
in West Virginia (-1.8 percent).

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