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 1,144 in the week ending March 9, down from 1,235 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 209,000 last week, down 1,000 claims from 210,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Oregon saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 33.7%. New Hampshire, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 60.6%.

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