In March 2009, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 48 states and the District of Columbia and rose in two states. The largest over-the-month employment decrease occurred in California (-62,100), followed by Florida (-51,900) and Texas (-47,100). North Carolina experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment (-1.0 percent), followed by Idaho, Minnesota, and Washington (-0.9 percent each). The two states to show an over-the-month increase in employment were Mississippi (+300 or less than +0.1 percent) and North Dakota (+300 or +0.1 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In March, the West posted the highest regional jobless rate, 9.8 percent, followed by the Midwest, at 9.0 percent. The Northeast recorded the lowest rate, 7.9 percent.

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific and East North Central reported the highest unemployment rates in March, 10.8 and 10.0 percent, respectively. The West South Central registered the lowest jobless rate, 6.5 percent.

Five of the 9 divisions experienced statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes, all of which were increases: the Pacific (+0.7 percentage point), East South Central (+0.6 point), East North Central (+0.5 point), Mountain (+0.3 point), and West South Central (+0.2 point). ?EUR??,,????'??? Courtesy of Bureau of Labor Statistics