The unemployment rate fell slightly in Maryland in January and rose slightly in Virginia, with both recording a statewide jobless rate of 3.0%.
Both are higher than a year ago.
Maryland’s 3.0% unemployment rate was down from 3.1% in December, and up compared to 2.7% a year earlier, when it had one of the lowest state unemployment rates in the U.S.
Virginia’s January unemployment rate was up from 2.9% in December, and up from 2.8% a year earlier.
South Dakota had the lowest state unemployment rate in January at just 1.9%. Nevada had the highest, at 5.8%, followed by 5.4% in California.
In total, 17 states had January unemployment rates lower than the national average of 4.0%. State employment rates are seasonally-adjusted.
Both Virginia and Maryland have posted modest annual job gains. Virginia ended January with 25,282 more jobs than a year ago. The year-over-year gain in Maryland was 17,415.
Texas had the largest year-over-year job growth, at 187,700. Alaska and Idaho tied for largest year-over-year percentage job growth, at 2.8%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics posts monthly state unemployment rates and changes in nonfarm payrolls online.
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