U.S. jobless rates steady at 3.7% in December but higher by 0.2% year over year
Unemployment rates edge up in 15 states while they remain steady in 34 states and the District of Columbia
Unemployment rates in the U.S. remained steady at 3.7% in December, a Bureau of Labor Statistics press release said Tuesday. However, the rates were 0.2% higher from December 2022.
The press release also said that the unemployment rates were higher in December in 15 states, lower in 1 state, and stable in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Meanwhile, 18 states and the District reported increases in the jobless rates from a year earlier although 15 states recorded decreases, and 17 states showed little change.
Jobless rates were mostly unchanged in November.
Excerpts from the press release:
Nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in December 2023. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states and was essentially unchanged in 20 states and the District.
Maryland, North Dakota show lowest unemployment
Maryland and North Dakota had the lowest jobless rates in December, 1.9 percent each. The next lowest rate was in South Dakota, 2.0 percent. Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.4 percent. In total, 16 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.7 percent, 5 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 29 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
In December, 15 states had over-the-month unemployment rate increases, the largest of which were in Massachusetts and Rhode Island (+0.3 percentage point each). Minnesota had the only rate decrease (-0.2 percentage point). Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases from December 2022, the largest of which was in New Jersey (+1.5 percentage points).
Fifteen states had over-the-year rate decreases, the largest of which were in Maryland and Oregon (-1.1 percentage points each). Seventeen states had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a year earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
Nonfarm payroll employment
Nonfarm payroll employment was essentially unchanged in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in December 2023.
Jobless rates were unchanged in September.
Read the full press release here
