National index decreased slightly in March, but is up 0.23 percent through first three months of the year; West North Central maintains top index spot; Texas falls to third-ranked state, trailing Indiana and Washington; Dallas remains highest-performing metro area for sixth straight month
The Paychex | IHS Small Business Jobs Index declined 0.05 percent during the past month, bringing the national index to 100.79 in March. The minor retreat, however, did not halt the positive momentum generated in January and February. The national index is up 0.23 percent for the first quarter of 2015, representing the best three-month gain since the index was publicly released last year. The West North Central region continued its strong showing and remains the top-ranked regional index. Indiana and Washington lead the state index ranking, with Texas falling to third.