Yesterday the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary on national data collected during December 2012. Each month this government agency reports on each state's unemployment rate and and then compiles a national, regional and state profile of unemployment. According to the report during the month of December2012 the national unemployment rate came in unchanged at 7.8%.
During December there were 22 states that decreases in their unemployment rate, 16 states had increases in unemployment and 12 states had no change in their unemployment. When compared to the national unemployment rate of 7.8% there are 25 states below the national rate. A total of 8 states are above the national unemployment rate and 17 states were statistically close to the national unemployment rate.
Nationally states reporting the highest unemployment in the nation are Nevada and Rhode Island at 10.2% and California at 9.8%. Once again, North Dakota posted the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 3.2%. Followed by Nebraska at 3.7% and South Dakota at 4.4%.
Regionally, the Western states have the highest unemployment average at 8.6% while the Midwest states has the lowest unemployment at 7.1%.
During December, New York gained 35,100 jobs with New Jersey adding 30,200. The states reporting the most over the month job losses are Louisiana losing 11,400 jobs and Michigan losing 10,600 jobs. In December, Florida reported unemployment statewide at 8% and which continues to be above the national unemployment rate.
To view the full BLS report go to http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/laus.pdf. The next BLS report on Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary will be released on March 1st, 2013 and that report will be covering employment data collected for January 2013.
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