Jobless Rates Fell Throughout US in November

Unemployment rates fell or were unchanged in all 50 U.S. states in November, including New Jersey, where the jobless rate fell to 7.8 percent, from 8.4 percent in October. Officials cite the latest numbers as evidence that hiring is up nationwide.

The Labor Department says employers added jobs in 43 states and cut jobs in just seven. California, Texas and Indiana reported the largest job gains.

Nationwide, hiring has been robust for the past four months. Employers added an average of 204,000 jobs from August through November, a strong pickup from early this year.

The national unemployment rate fell to 7 percent last month, a five-year low.

Still, the decline in state unemployment rates has occurred partly because many people have stopped looking for work. When people who are out of work stop looking for jobs, they're no longer counted as unemployed. The unemployment rate can fall as a result.