New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2020 was 2.6 percent, unchanged from the December 2019 rate, which remained at 2.6 percent after revision. The January 2019 seasonally adjusted rate was 2.5 percent.

Seasonally adjusted estimates for January 2020 placed the number of employed residents at 758,250, an increase of 1,570 from the previous month and an increase of 8,650 from January 2019. The number of unemployed residents increased by 40 over-the-month to 19,940. This was 710 more unemployed than in January 2019. From December 2019 to January 2020, the total labor force increased by 1,610 to 778,190. This was an increase of 9,360 from January 2019.

The unadjusted January 2020 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 3.1 percent, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the December 2019 rate, which remained at 2.3 percent after revision. The January 2019 unadjusted rate was 3.0 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2020 was 3.6 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the December 2019 rate, and a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the January 2019 rate. The national unadjusted rate for January 2020 was 4.0 percent, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the December 2019 rate, and a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the January 2019 rate.

NOTE: State nonfarm employment estimates are available on our Internet Web site: www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi concurrent with this release. Local area unemployment rates are expected to be available on Thursday, March 12. All monthly data will continue to be published in the monthly newsletter New Hampshire Economic Conditions.