Home » Unemployment rate down in June in 22 states, up in 14

Unemployment rate down in June in 22 states, up in 14

Payroll jobs up in 33 states, down in 17

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 18, 2014) — Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in June. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from May, 14 states had increases, and 14 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier and one state had an increase. The national jobless rate declined to 6.1 percent from May and was 1.4 percentage points lower than in June 2013.

Balance Sheets Before JobsIn June, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 33 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 17 states. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Florida (+37,400), California (+24,200), and New York (+22,500). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Georgia (-9,500), followed by West Virginia (-9,100) and Alaska (-5,900). The largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment occurred in the District of Columbia, Indiana, North Dakota, and Oklahoma (+0.6 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Alaska (-1.7 percent), followed by West Virginia (-1.2 percent), and New Hampshire and New Mexico (-0.6 percent each). 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 increase occurred in North Dakota (+4.8 percent), followed by Nevada (+3.9 percent) and Utah (+3.5 percent). The over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Alaska (-0.7 percent), Vermont (-0.1 percent), and New Mexico (which declined by less than 0.05 percent).

In June, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 6.7 percent, while the Midwest had the lowest rate, 5.9 percent. The West and Northeast had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes (-0.2 percentage point and -0.1 point, respectively). Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the Northeast (-1.5 percentage points), Midwest and West (-1.4 points each), and South (-1.2 points).

Among the nine geographic divisions, the East South Central and Pacific had the highest jobless rates, 7.0 percent each in June. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 4.9 percent. Over the month, the Pacific and New England had statistically significant unemployment rate changes (-0.3 percentage point and -0.2 point, respectively). All nine divisions had significant rate declines from a year earlier, the largest of which occurred in the East North Central (-1.8 percentage points) and Middle Atlantic and Pacific (-1.5 points each).

Mississippi and Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rates among the states in June, 7.9 percent each. North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate, 2.7 percent. In total, 17 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 6.1 percent, 8 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 25 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

In June, six states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines: Illinois (-0.4 percentage point); Colorado, Rhode Island, and Washington (-0.3 point each); and California and New Jersey (-0.2 point each). Vermont had the only significant over-the-month rate increase (+0.2 percentage point). The remaining 43 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.

Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant jobless rate changes over the year, all of which were decreases. The largest of these occurred in South Carolina (-2.5 percentage points), Nevada (-2.3 points), and Illinois (-2.1 points). The remaining 16 states had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier.

In June 2014, 15 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 11 of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in Florida (+37,400), California (+24,200), and New York (+22,500). The four statistically significant job decreases occurred in West Virginia (-9,100), Alaska (-5,900), New Mexico (-4,700), and New Hampshire (-3,900).

Over the year, 30 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in Texas (+371,000), followed by California (+356,400) and Florida (+237,500).