Virginia Unemployment Down, Maryland, D.C. Unchanged

The region saw little change in its unemployment rates last month compared with January, with only Virginia seeing a slight decrease, according to the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In Virginia, the unemployment rate stood at 5.7 percent last month, down from 5.8 percent in January, and significantly lower than Virginia’s 6.3 percent unemployment rate a year earlier.

Maryland’s jobless rate was unchanged last month at 6.5 percent, but down from 7.2 percent in February 2011.

In the District, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.9 percent, and down from 10 percent a year ago.

The highest unemployment rate in the nation remains Nevada, at 12.3 percent. North Dakota continues to claim the lowest jobless rate at 3.1 percent.

Unemployment rates fell in 29 states in February, rose in eight and were unchanged in 13, according to BLS.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged in February, at 8.3 percent.

Source