WASHINGTON — Unemployment rates fell in 17 states in March, including Virginia, where the unemployment rate is now the lowest since May 2008.

Maryland’s unemployment rate crept up slightly.

The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics says the unemployment rate in Virginia was 3.8 percent last month, down from 3.9 percent in February and 4 percent a year ago.

Maryland’s 4.3 percent March unemployment rate was up from 4.2 percent in February, but still lower than the 4.4 percent unemployment rate in March 2016.

The unemployment rate nationwide in March was 4.5 percent.

Colorado had the lowest state unemployment rate in March, at 2.6 percent, the lowest for Colorado since at least 1976.

New Mexico had the highest state unemployment rate in March, at 6.7 percent.