State Payroll Jobs, Unemployment Rate Stable in December

The state's December jobless rate was 4.7%, while nonfarm payrolls were almost unchanged, down by just 800 jobs.

In December, the industry sectors with the largest gains in employment were Educational and Health Services; Trade, Transportation and Utilities; and Government. The sectors with the largest monthly payroll declines were Professional and Business Services; Leisure and Hospitality; and Other Services.

The state's unemployment rate was 1.2% higher than the national unemployment rate for December, which was 3.5%, down a tenth of a percent from the previous month.

The state jobless rate for December was down 0.4% from one year earlier, when it was at 5.1%.