Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed or lower in January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Nine states and the District of Columbia recorded rate declines over the month, one state had a rate increase, and the re- mainder were about unchanged. Over the year, jobless rates were down in 31 states, up in 6 states and the District of Columbia, and about the same in 13 states. In January, the national unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage point to 5.2 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 29 states and the District of Columbia over the month.
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
The Northeast had the lowest unemployment rate in January, 4.7 percent, followed by the South, 5.1 percent. The Midwest, at 5.6 percent, and the West, at 5.4 percent, had the highest rates. Jobless rates in the Northeast and South declined by 0.3 and 0.2 percentage point, respectively, over the month. Over the year, the Northeast and West registered unemployment rate declines of 1.1 and 0.9 percentage point, respectively.Among the nine geographic divisions, the lowest unemployment rates in January were reported in the Mountain and New England divisions, 4.5 per- cent each, and the South Atlantic, 4.6 percent. The East North Central and Pacific divisions recorded the highest jobless rates, 5.9 and 5.8 percent, respectively. Over the month, the Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic divi- sions registered rate decreases of 0.4 and 0.3 percentage point, respec- tively. The Middle Atlantic division posted the largest jobless rate de- cline from January 2004, 1.2 percentage points. The Mountain, Pacific, and New England divisions followed, with decreases of 0.9, 0.8, and 0.7 percent- age point, respectively.
