Unemployment rates up in 26 states

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Unemployment rates rose in 26 states in August and declined in 12, the U.S. Labor Department said Friday.

In a report that breaks down the nation's employment situation state by state, the department said 12 other states had no change and the District of Columbia posted a decline.

In contrast, 28 states had an increase in jobs while 21 and the District of Columbia experienced job losses. The number of jobs in Colorado was unchanged.

Early this month, the department reported the country gained 96,000 jobs in August -- a preliminary number subject to change.

In the state-by-state breakdown, Texas added the most jobs in August, 38,000. Florida added 23,000 and Missouri gained 17,900 to round out the top three.

Virginia, on the other hand, posted a loss of 12,400 jobs followed by the District of Columbia, which lost 11,200 and Washington state, which lost 8,800.

The highest unemployment rate in the country was Nevada's 12.1 percent. Rhode Island had the second highest rate, 10.7 percent and California the next highest at 10.6 percent.

The department said 21 states had unemployment rates "significantly lower" than the national rate of 8.1 percent.

The lowest unemployment rates are 3 percent in North Dakota, 4 percent in Nebraska, 4.5 percent in South Dakota and 5.1 percent in Oklahoma.