WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 20, 2012) — Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in June. Twenty-seven states recorded unemployment rate increases, 11 states and the District of Columbia posted rate decreases, and 12 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while three states experienced increases. The national jobless rate, at 8.2 percent, was unchanged from May but 0.9 percentage point lower than in June 2011.
In June 2012, non-farm payroll employment increased in 29 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 21 states. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in California (+38,300), followed by Ohio (+18,400) and North Carolina (+16,900). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Wisconsin (-13,200), followed by Tennessee (-12,100) and Maryland (-11,000). Alaska experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+1.0 percent), followed by South Dakota (+0.7 percent) and North Dakota (+0.6 percent).
New Mexico, Vermont, and Wisconsin experienced the largest over-the-month percentage declines in employment (-0.5 percent each). Over the year, non-farm employment increased in 44 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 6 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+6.5 percent), followed by Louisiana (+2.8 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Rhode Island (-0.8 percent), followed by Wisconsin (-0.7 percent).
Regional unemployment
The West continued to record the highest regional unemployment rate in June, 9.4 percent, while the Midwest again reported the lowest rate, 7.3 percent. Over the month, only the Northeast experienced a statistically significant unemployment rate change (+0.2 percentage point). Significant over-the-year rate changes occurred in three regions: the Midwest and South (-1.2 percentage points each) and West (-1.1 points).
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless rate, 10 percent in June. The West North Central again registered the lowest rate, 5.7 percent. Only the Middle Atlantic recorded a statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate change (+0.2 percentage point). Eight divisions had measurable rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were decreases. The largest of these declines occurred in the East South Central (-1.5 percentage points) and East North Central (-1.4 points).
State unemployment
Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 11.6 percent in June. Rhode Island and California posted the next highest rates, 10.9 and 10.7 percent, respectively. North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate, 2.9 percent, followed by Nebraska, 3.8 percent. In total, 25 states reported jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 8.2 percent, 8 states had measurably higher rates, and 17 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
Six states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate increases in June: Alabama and New Jersey (+0.4 percentage point each), Alaska and New York (+0.3 point each), Wisconsin (+0.2 point), and Pennsylvania (+0.1 point). The District of Columbia reported the only significant rate decrease in June (-0.2 percentage point). The remaining 44 states recorded jobless rates that were not measurably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia reported statistically significant unemployment rate decreases from June 2011, the largest of which occurred in Nevada (-2.2 percentage points), Florida (-2.1 points), and Michigan and Mississippi (-2.0 points each). New York experienced the only statistically significant over-the-year increase in its unemployment rate (+0.7 percentage point).
Non-farm payroll employment
In June 2012, 11 states recorded statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 8 of which were increases and 3 of which were decreases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in California (+38,300), Ohio (+18,400), and North Carolina (+16,900). The statistically significant job losses occurred in Wisconsin (-13,200), Tennessee (-12,100), and Maryland (-11,000). (See tables C and 5.)
Over the year, 30 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were increases. The largest increase occurred in California (+279,100), followed by Texas (+231,800), New York (+136,900), and Ohio (+100,000).
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