Washington ? U.S. companies have added jobs for 12 straight months, giving some of the hardest-hit states a lift. But the gains have been uneven and several states are still losing jobs.

California and Michigan, which each suffered some of the worst job losses during the recession, are adding jobs again. California last month had its single best month for job creation in more than two decades.

Still, six states lost jobs from February 2010 through last month. Among the worst for job creation in that time were New Mexico and New Jersey, states that only a year ago were in the middle of the pack.

Overall, 44 states added jobs in that stretch, one of the best year-over-year showings since the recession ended in June 2009. And the unemployment rate has fallen in 41 states. The February report from the Labor Department on state and regional employment is the latest sign that job growth is picking up.

Nationwide, employers added 1.3 million net jobs in that period.

California, which was still losing jobs as recently as September, has added nearly 200,000 jobs in that time. That’s second only to Texas, which added 254,200 net jobs.

Nearly half of that increase in California occurred in February, when the state gained 96,500 jobs. That’s the most on record dating back to 1990.