Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in September. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, 11 states registered rate increases, and 16 states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia posted unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, 16 states reported increases, and 5 states had no change. The national jobless rate was unchanged in September at 9.6 percent and also little different from a year earlier (9.8 percent).

In September, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 34 states and increased in 16 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month employment decreases were in California (-63,500), New York (-37,600), Massachusetts (-20,900), and New Jersey (-20,200). The largest over-the-month percentage decreases in employment occurred in Utah (-0.8 percent), and Maine and Massachusetts (-0.7 percent each). The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in the District of Columbia (+16,500), North Carolina (+10,100), Illinois (+8,600), Pennsylvania (+7,200), and New Mexico (+7,100). The largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment were in the District of Columbia (+2.3 percent), New Mexico (+0.9 percent), and New Hampshire (+0.8 percent). Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 18 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increases in employment were reported in the District of Columbia (+3.3 percent), followed by New Hampshire (+2.8 percent) and Oklahoma (+1.7 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Nevada (-1.8 percent), followed by Maine, New Jersey, and Rhode Island (-1.1 percent each), and Colorado (-1.0 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

The West reported the highest regional unemployment rate in September,10.9 percent, while the Northeast recorded the lowest rate, 8.6 percent. The Northeast experienced the only statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate change (-0.2 percentage point). The Midwest was the only region to register a significant rate change from a year earlier (-0.7 percentage point).

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless rate, 11.6 percent in September. The West North Central registered the lowest rate, 7.1 percent, followed by the West South Central, at 7.9 percent. The only division with a statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate change was New England (-0.2 percentage point). Over the year, two divisions posted measurable rate decreases - the East South Central (-1.2 percentage points) and the East North Central (-0.8 point). The Mountain division experienced the only statistically significant unemployment rate increase from a year earlier (+0.6 percentage point).

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In September, Nevada’s unemployment rate held at 14.4 percent, again the highest among the states. The states with the next highest rates were Michigan, 13.0 percent, and California, 12.4 percent. North Dakota continued to register the lowest jobless rate, 3.7 percent, followed by South Dakota and Nebraska, at 4.4 and 4.6 percent, respectively. In total, 26 states posted jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 9.6 percent, 7 states recorded measurably higher rates, and 17 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

In September, five states experienced statistically significant unemployment rate decreases from August: Massachusetts (-0.4 percentage point); Maine (-0.3 point); and New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas (-0.2 point each). Maryland and Florida posted the only measurable over-the-month rate increases (+0.2 and +0.1 percentage point, respectively). The remaining 43 states and the District of Columbia registered jobless rates that were not measurably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.

Nine states and the District of Columbia reported statistically significant over-the-year jobless rate decreases in September, the largest of which were in Alabama (-1.8 percentage points) and Michigan and Tennessee (-1.4 points each). Montana and Florida recorded the only significant rate increases from September 2009 (+0.9 and +0.7 percentage point, respectively). The remaining 39 states registered unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier.

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Between August and September, 16 states and the District of Columbia recorded statistically significant changes in employment. The largest over-the-month statistically significant job gain occurred in the District of Columbia (+16,500). The largest over-the-month statistically significant job losses occurred in California (-63,500) and New York (-37,600).

Over the year, seven states and the District of Columbia reported statistically significant employment increases, while one state experienced a statistically significant decline in employment. The largest statistically significant over-the-year employment increases were posted in Texas (+152,800), North Carolina (+49,300), and Indiana (+39,200). The only statistically significant job loss occurred in New Jersey (-42,300).