National

August 2015 Jobless Rates Down in 29 States, Up in 10; Payroll Jobs Up in 32 States, Down in 18


Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—September 18, 2015. Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in August. Twenty-nine states had unemployment rate decreases from July, 10 states had increases, and 11 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, seven states had increases, and two states had no change. The national jobless rate edged down from July to 5.1 percent and was 1.0 percentage point lower than in August 2014.

In August 2015, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states and decreased in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+36,200), Florida (+19,600), and Ohio (+14,600). The largest over-the-month decreases in employment occurred in New York and Texas (-13,700 each), followed by New Hampshire (-3,900). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Hawaii (+1.3 percent), followed by Nebraska (+0.6 percent) and Maine (+0.4 percent).

The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in South Dakota (-0.7 percent), followed by Delaware and New Hampshire (-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 increases occurred in Utah (+4.0 percent), Oregon (+3.5 percent), and Florida and Nevada (+3.3 percent each). The over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in West Virginia (-2.6 percent), North Dakota (-0.7 percent), and Alaska (-0.4 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In August, the Midwest had the lowest regional unemployment rate, 4.6 percent, while the West had the highest rate, 5.7 percent. Over the month, statistically significant unemployment rate changes occurred in the Midwest (-0.2 percentage point) and Northeast and South (-0.1 point each). Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the Midwest (-1.0 percentage point), West (-0.9 point), and Northeast and South (-0.8 point each). (See table 1.)

Among the nine geographic divisions, the West North Central had the lowest unemployment rate, 4.2 percent in August. The Pacific had the highest rate, 5.9 percent. Over the month, the South Atlantic had the only statistically significant jobless rate change (-0.1 percentage point). All nine divisions had significant rate declines from a year earlier, with the largest of these decreases occurring in the East North Central and New England (-1.2 percentage points each).

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Nebraska had the lowest jobless rate in August, 2.8 percent, followed by North Dakota, 2.9 percent. West Virginia had the highest rate, 7.6 percent. In total, 17 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 5.1 percent, 13 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. (See tables A and 3.)

In August, eight states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines, the largest of which occurred in South Carolina (-0.4 percentage point). Two states had significant over-the-month rate increases: New Mexico (+0.2 percentage point) and Nebraska (+0.1 point). The remaining 40 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. (See table B.)

Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant unemployment rate declines from August 2014, the largest of which occurred in Rhode Island (-1.8 percentage points) and Michigan (-1.7 points). The only significant over-the-year rate increase was in West Virginia (+1.2 percentage points). The remaining 24 states had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In August 2015, nine states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, six of which were positive. The largest significant job gains occurred in California (+36,200), Florida (+19,600), and Ohio (+14,600). The significant job decreases occurred in New Hampshire (-3,900), South Dakota (-3,000), and Delaware (-2,500). (See tables D and 5.)

Over the year, 35 states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant increases in employment and West Virginia had a significant decrease (-19,500). The largest significant over-the-year job increase occurred in California (+470,000), followed by Florida (+261,500) and Texas (+217,700). (See table E.)

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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for August 2015 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for September 2015 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, October 20, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

The charts/tables referenced above can be seen at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm

Source: www.bls.gov

 


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