New York, New Jersey, Georgia Add Most Jobs in December

Posted By Mike Maciag | January 18, 2013

Unemployment rates fell in 22 states in December, but few experienced significant changes for the month, according to Labor Department data released today.

New York added an estimated 35,100 jobs -- the most of any state -- driven by gains in the leisure and hospitality and business services sectors. Neighboring New Jersey netted 30,200 jobs for the month, followed by Georgia (14,400) and Missouri (10,200).

California, which has added about 225,000 jobs over the year, saw its payrolls decline by an estimated 17,500 positions. Other states recording notable losses for the month include Florida (-15,300) and Louisiana (-11,400).

Of the 22 states registering a decrease in December’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate, the Labor Department only considered the decline in five states to be statistically significant. Nevada saw its jobless rate drop 0.6 percent for the month. Along with Rhode Island, it is the only state still with a double-digit unemployment rate, both at 10.2 percent.

The national seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 7.8 percent remained unchanged from November. The Labor Department calculates unemployment rates from a survey of households and nonfarm payroll data using a separate survey of businesses.

Updated figures will be released Feb. 1. in the January jobs report.

State Employment Totals and Unemployment Rates:

State	Monthly Change	November Nonfarm Employment	December Nonfarm Employment	12/2011 Jobless Rate	12/2012 Jobless Rate	Year-Over-Year Change

Alabama	-1,800	1,879,900	1,878,100	8	7.1	-0.9
Alaska	1,300	327,400	328,700	7.4	6.6	-0.8
Arizona	700	2,478,600	2,479,300	9	7.9	-1.1
Arkansas	-3,000	1,172,000	1,169,000	7.8	7.1	-0.7
California	-17,500	14,416,300	14,398,800	11.2	9.8	-1.4
Colorado	-2,400	2,319,000	2,316,600	7.9	7.6	-0.3
Connecticut	-1,800	1,625,200	1,623,400	8.1	8.6	0.5
Delaware	900	418,000	418,900	7.2	6.9	-0.3
District of Columbia	1,800	733,800	735,600	10.1	8.5	-1.6
Florida	-15,300	7,403,400	7,388,100	9.9	8	-1.9
Georgia	14,400	3,956,700	3,971,100	9.4	8.6	-0.8
Hawaii	-4,000	612,400	608,400	6.6	5.2	-1.4
Idaho	2,000	621,900	623,900	8.3	6.6	-1.7
Illinois	-7,600	5,725,500	5,717,900	9.7	8.7	-1
Indiana	6,000	2,900,800	2,906,800	8.9	8.2	-0.7
Iowa	300	1,493,900	1,494,200	5.6	4.9	-0.7
Kansas	7,400	1,343,300	1,350,700	6.4	5.4	-1
Kentucky	-4,400	1,837,700	1,833,300	9	8.1	-0.9
Louisiana	-11,400	1,961,900	1,950,500	7	5.5	-1.5
Maine	-2,700	594,200	591,500	7	7.3	0.3
Maryland	4,900	2,584,200	2,589,100	6.6	6.6	0
Massachusetts	7,500	3,255,900	3,263,400	6.9	6.7	-0.2
Michigan	-10,600	3,983,900	3,973,300	9.3	8.9	-0.4
Minnesota	9,100	2,726,100	2,735,200	5.7	5.5	-0.2
Mississippi	-1,500	1,094,000	1,092,500	10.4	8.6	-1.8
Missouri	10,200	2,662,500	2,672,700	8	6.7	-1.3
Montana	500	434,900	435,400	6.6	5.7	-0.9
Nebraska	-1,400	954,900	953,500	4.2	3.7	-0.5
Nevada	2,000	1,148,300	1,150,300	13	10.2	-2.8
New Hampshire	-300	626,800	626,500	5.2	5.7	0.5
New Jersey	30,200	3,892,400	3,922,600	9.1	9.6	0.5
New Mexico	2,300	798,500	800,800	7	6.4	-0.6
New York	35,100	8,805,500	8,840,600	8.2	8.2	0
North Carolina	7,900	3,996,700	4,004,600	10.4	9.2	-1.2
North Dakota	-700	422,000	421,300	3.3	3.2	-0.1
Ohio	-9,400	5,194,400	5,185,000	7.9	6.7	-1.2
Oklahoma	-2,000	1,602,500	1,600,500	6.3	5.1	-1.2
Oregon	2,000	1,637,000	1,639,000	9	8.4	-0.6
Pennsylvania	-4,800	5,756,300	5,751,500	7.7	7.9	0.2
Rhode Island	1,200	457,600	458,800	11	10.2	-0.8
South Carolina	5,300	1,873,800	1,879,100	9.6	8.4	-1.2
South Dakota	300	408,900	409,200	4.3	4.4	0.1
Tennessee	6,000	2,703,900	2,709,900	8.5	7.6	-0.9
Texas	4,100	10,899,900	10,904,000	7.4	6.1	-1.3
Utah	2,300	1,257,800	1,260,100	5.8	5.2	-0.6
Vermont	-400	305,000	304,600	5.2	5.1	-0.1
Virginia	-5,000	3,739,000	3,734,000	6.1	5.5	-0.6
Washington	-7,900	2,893,600	2,885,700	8.6	7.6	-1
West Virginia	900	746,000	746,900	7.8	7.5	-0.3
Wisconsin	1,300	2,727,600	2,728,900	7	6.6	-0.4
Wyoming	-1,700	288,200	286,500	5.6	4.9	-0.7

NOTE: December figures are preliminary. Job totals and unemployment rates are seasonally-adjusted.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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