Where The Jobs Are

The national unemployment rate rose from 7.2 percent in December to 7.6 percent in January – 2.7 percentage points higher than a year earlier, in what continues to be a tough market for jobs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• The largest over-the month decreases in the level of employment were recorded in California, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas.
  
  
• Michigan, Arizona, and Ohio reported the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment, followed by Arizona and Ohio.
  
  
• The largest over-the-month increases in the level of employment were reported by Maryland, Washington DC, and New Hampshire.
  
  
• Washington DC, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Maryland, and Montana experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment.
  
  
• The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment were reported by Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Florida, and Ohio.
  
  
• The largest over-the-year percent-age increases in employment were reported by Wyoming, Washington DC, Alaska, North Dakota, and Oklahoma.