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Regional, state unemployment changes little in April

WASHINGTON (May 18, 2012) — Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in April. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, five states posted rate increases, and eight states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while only one state experienced an increase and one had no change. The national jobless rate was little changed from March at 8.1 percent but was 0.9 percentage point lower than in April 2011.

In April 2012, non-farm payroll employment increased in 32 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 18 states. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in Indiana (+17,100), followed by Texas (+13,200) and Georgia (+7,800). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Maryland (-6,000), followed by Wisconsin (-5,900) and New Hampshire (-4,800). Hawaii experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.8 per- cent), followed by North Dakota (+0.7 percent) and Indiana (+0.6 percent). New Hampshire experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.8 percent), followed by Alaska (-0.7 percent) and Vermont (-0.5 percent). Over the year, non-farm employment increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 7 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+7.2 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Rhode Island (-0.9 percent).

Regional unemployment (seasonally adjusted)

The West continued to record the highest regional unemployment rate in April, 9.5 percent, while the Midwest again reported the lowest rate, 7.2 percent. Over the month, three regions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate changes: the Midwest (-0.2 percentage point) and South and West (-0.1 point each). The significant over-the-year changes occurred in the same three regions: the Midwest and South (-1.2 percentage points each) and West (-1.0 point).

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless rate, 10.1 percent in April. The West North Central again registered the lowest rate, 5.8 percent. Two divisions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate changes over the month: the South Atlantic and West South Central (-0.2 percentage point each). Eight divisions had measurable unemployment rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were decreases. The largest of these occurred in the East South Central (-1.7 percentage points).

State unemployment (seasonally adjusted)

Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 11.7 percent in April. Rhode Island and California posted the next highest rates, 11.2 and 10.9 percent, respectively. North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate, 3.0 percent, followed by Nebraska, 3.9 percent, and South Dakota, 4.3 percent. In total, 24 states reported jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 8.1 percent, 6 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 20 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

Arizona and Oklahoma experienced the largest over-the-month unemployment rate declines in April (-0.4 percentage point each). Seven other states also had statistically significant rate decreases: Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and North Carolina (-0.3 percentage point each) and Idaho, Massachusetts, and Minnesota (-0.2 point each). The District of Columbia also posted a significant rate decrease (-0.3 percentage point). The remaining 41 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.

Michigan registered the largest jobless rate decrease from April 2011 (-2.2 percentage points). Twenty-three additional states reported smaller but also statistically significant declines over the year. The remaining 26 states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier.

Non-farm payroll employment (seasonally adjusted)

In April 2012, nine states recorded statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, seven of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in Indiana (+17,100), Iowa (+5,800), and Arkansas (+5,500). Significant job losses occurred in New Hampshire (-4,800) and Alaska (-2,300). (See tables C and 5.)

Over the year, 24 states and the District of Columbia experienced statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were increases. The largest increase occurred in Texas (+225,800), followed by California (+175,600) and New York (+131,000).