WASHINGTON (May 20, 2013) — Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in April. Kentucky was among seven states with no change. Forty states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases, three states had increases, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while seven states had increases. The national jobless rate was little changed in April, at 7.5 percent, but was 0.6 percentage point lower than a year earlier.
In April, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states, decreased in 18 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in 2 states. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+33,100), New York (+25,300), and Florida (+17,000). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Wisconsin (-24,100), followed by Minnesota (-11,400). Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri, and Nevada had the largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment (+0.5 percent each). Wisconsin (-0.9 percent) and Minnesota (-0.4 percent) had the largest over-the-month percentage declines in employment. Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 47 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 3 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increases
occurred in North Dakota (+3.7 percent) and Utah (+3.5 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Wyoming (-0.5 percent) and Maine (-0.3 percent).
Regional Unemployment
In April, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 8.0 percent, while the South again had the lowest rate, 7.1 percent. Over the month, three regions had statistically significant unemployment rate changes: the Northeast and West (-0.3 percentage point each) and the South (-0.1 point). Significant over-the-year rate changes occurred in the same three regions: the West (-1.4 percentage points), South (-0.7 point), and Northeast (-0.5 point). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to have the highest jobless rate, 8.5 percent in April. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 5.4 percent. Three divisions had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes: the Middle Atlantic (-0.4 percentage point), Pacific (-0.3 point), and South Atlantic (-0.2 point). Three divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier: the Pacific (-1.6 percentage points) and the Mountain and South Atlantic (-0.9 point each).
State Unemployment
Nevada had the highest unemployment rate among the states in April, 9.6 percent. The next highest rates were in Illinois (9.3 percent), Mississippi (9.1 percent), and California (9.0 percent). North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate, 3.3 percent. In total, 19 states had jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 7.5 percent, 8 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 23 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
Fifteen states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes in April, all of which were declines. The largest of these occurred in California, New York, and South Carolina (-0.4 percentage point each). The remaining 35 states and the District of Columbia had 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.
The largest jobless rate declines from April 2012 occurred in Nevada (-1.9 percentage points), Rhode Island (-1.8 points), and California and Florida (-1.7 points each). Eleven additional states had smaller but also statistically significant decreases over the year. The remaining 35 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier.
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
In April 2013, nine states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, seven of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in Texas (+33,100) and New York (+25,300). The two statistically significant job decreases occurred in Wisconsin (-24,100) and Minnesota (-11,400).
Over the year, 28 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in Texas (+326,100), followed by California (+273,100), Florida (+119,100), and New York (+111,600).
States with unemployment rates significantly different from that of the U.S., April 2013, seasonally adjusted
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State | Rate(p)
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United States (1) ……………….| 7.5
|
Alaska …………………………| 6.0
California ……………………..| 9.0
District of Columbia …………| 8.5
Hawaii …………………………| 4.9
Idaho ………………………….| 6.1
Illinois ……………………….| 9.3
Indiana ……………………….| 8.5
Iowa …………………………..| 4.7
Kansas …………………………| 5.5
Maryland ……………………….| 6.5
|
Massachusetts …………………..| 6.4
Minnesota ………………………| 5.3
Mississippi …………………….| 9.1
Montana ………………………..| 5.5
Nebraska ……………………….| 3.7
Nevada …………………………| 9.6
New Hampshire …………………..| 5.5
New Jersey ……………………..| 8.7
North Carolina ………………….| 8.9
North Dakota ……………………| 3.3
|
Oklahoma ……………………….| 4.9
Rhode Island ……………………| 8.8
South Dakota ……………………| 4.1
Texas ………………………….| 6.4
Utah …………………………..| 4.7
Vermont ………………………..| 4.0
Virginia ……………………….| 5.2
Wyoming ………………………..| 4.8
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