National

Jobless Rate Down in 28 States, Up in 11 in October 2013; Payroll Jobs Up in 34 states, Down in 15


Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—November 22, 2013. Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in October. Twenty-eight states had unemployment rate decreases from September, 11 states and the District of Columbia had increases, and 11 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty-eight states had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, 10 states and the District of Columbia had increases, and 2 states had no change. The national jobless rate was little changed from September at 7.3 percent and was 0.6 percentage point lower than in October 2012.

In October 2013, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 34 states, decreased in 15 states, and was unchanged in the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Florida (+44,600), California (+39,800), and North Carolina (+22,200). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Kentucky (-12,600), followed by Washington (-8,100), New Jersey (-5,500), and Virginia (-5,400). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Wyoming (+1.0 percent), followed by Delaware, Florida, and Nevada (+0.6 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Kentucky (-0.7 percent), followed by South Dakota (-0.6 percent) and Washington (-0.3 percent). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 49 states and decreased in Alaska (-0.9 percent) and the District of Columbia (-0.1 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+3.5 percent), followed by Florida (+2.5 percent) and Idaho and Texas (+2.4 percent each).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In October, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 7.8 percent, while the South had the lowest rate, 6.9 percent. Over the month, only the South had a statistically significant unemployment rate change (-0.1 percentage point). Significant over-the-year rate changes occurred in three regions: the West (-1.1 percentage points) and Northeast and South (-0.6 point each). (See table 1.)

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific had the highest jobless rate, 8.2 percent in October. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 5.1 percent. Two divisions had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes: the West North Central (-0.3 percentage point) and South Atlantic (-0.2 point). Three divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier: the Pacific (-1.3 percentage points), South Atlantic (-1.0 point), and Middle Atlantic (-0.7 point).

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Nevada had the highest unemployment rate among the states in October, 9.3 percent. The next highest rates were in Rhode Island, 9.2 percent, and Michigan, 9.0 percent. North Dakota continued to have the lowest jobless rate, 2.7 percent. In total, 17 states had jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 7.3 percent, 9 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 24 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)

Eleven states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate decreases in October, the largest of which occurred in Missouri and South Carolina (-0.4 percentage point each). The District of Columbia had the only significant unemployment rate increase over the month (+0.3 percentage point). The remaining 39 states 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.)

Thirteen states had statistically significant unemployment rate changes from October 2012, all of which were declines. The largest of these occurred in Florida (-1.5 percentage points), followed by California and North Carolina (-1.4 points each). (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In October 2013, 18 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 15 of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in Florida (+44,600), California (+39,800), and North Carolina (+22,200). The three statistically significant job decreases occurred in Kentucky (-12,600), Washington (-8,100), and South Dakota (-2,600). (See tables D and 5.)

Over the year, 29 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in Texas (+267,400), followed by California (+207,300) and Florida (+182,200). (See table E.)

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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for October is scheduled to be released on Thursday, December 5, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. (EST). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for November is scheduled to be released on Friday, December 20, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).

To view the tables referenced above, see: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm

Source: bls.gov

 


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