Unemployment falls in 75 percent of US states Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 1:59 p.m., Tuesday, November 20, 2012 An increase in hiring helped lower unemployment rates in 37 U.S. states last month, the latest indication that the job market is slowly healing. The state gained 7,300 jobs in October, mostly in hotels, restaurants, education and health care, and government. Nevada reported the highest unemployment rate, at 11.5 percent. The state has benefited from an oil and gas drilling boom.