Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Utah dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 1,217 in the week ending January 27, down from 1,289 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 224,000 last week, up 9,000 claims from 215,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Oregon saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 84.9%. South Dakota, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 40.3%.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.

This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: Unemployment claims in Utah declined last week