Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington, D.C. 20212
News
United States
Department
of Labor
Technical information:
Employment:
(202) 691-6559
USDL 09-0093
http://www.bls.gov/sae/
Unemployment:
(202) 691-6392
http://www.bls.gov/lau/
For release: 10:00 A.M. (EST)
Media contact:
(202) 691-5902
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
REGIONAL AND STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT: DECEMBER 2008
Regional and state unemployment rates were universally higher in December. All 50 states and the
District of Columbia recorded both over-the-month and over-the-year unemployment rate increases, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment
rate rose from 6.8 to 7.2 percent in December and was up by 2.3 percentage points from a year earlier.
In December, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 1 state and the District of Columbia,
decreased in 48 states, and was unchanged in 1 state (Oklahoma). The only over-the-month increases
in the level of employment were recorded in Louisiana (+3,700 or +0.2 percent) and the District of
Columbia (+100 or less than +0.1 percent). The largest over-the-month decrease in the level of
employment was reported in California (-78,200), followed by Michigan (-59,000), New York
(-54,000), Illinois (-36,000), Indiana (-35,300), and North Carolina (-34,900). Idaho (-1.6 percent)
experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment, followed by Michigan
(-1.4 percent), Hawaii and Indiana (-1.2 percent each), and North Carolina and New Hampshire (-0.9
percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 8 states and the District of Columbia
and decreased in 42 states. Wyoming (+2.2 percent) reported the largest over-the-year percentage
increase in employment, followed by Texas (+1.5 percent), Oklahoma (+1.0 percent), Alaska (+0.9
percent), and South Dakota (+0.8 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in emplo