As the year concludes, Maryland retains its position as the state with the lowest unemployment rate in the nation, at 1.8%, slightly up from its all-time low of 1.7% in October. Maryland’s November unemployment rate still exceeded North Dakota’s 1.9%, which held second place. In comparison, the national unemployment rate in November was 3.7%. Virginia’s unemployment saw a slight increase, moving from 2.7% in October to 2.9% in November, compared to 3.2% in the previous year. In the past year, Maryland and Virginia gained 39,200 and 64,100 jobs respectively, with annual job growth rates of 1.4% and 1.6%. On a nationwide scale, November’s unemployment rates increased in 12 states, with Nevada reporting the highest at 5.4%. In total, 19 states had unemployment rates lower than the national average. These state unemployment rates are seasonally-adjusted and published monthly by The Bureau of Labor Statistics alongside changes in nonfarm payroll.