WASHINGTON — Maryland and Virginia are among 28 states reporting lower unemployment rates for January.

The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics says Maryland’s unemployment rate in January was a seasonally adjusted 4.9 percent, down from 5 percent in December and down from 5.4 percent a year earlier.

Virginia’s January unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, down from 4.2 percent in December and 4.8 percent a year ago.

Maryland’s nonfarm payrolls reached 2,6623,500 in January — 45,300 more jobs than in January 2015. Virginia added 92,100 jobs to its nonfarm payrolls from January 2015, for a total of 3,850,400 in January 2016.

North Dakota and South Dakota tied for the lowest state unemployment rate in January at 2.8 percent. Mississippi had the highest state unemployment rate, at 6.7 percent.