National

Jobless Rates Down in 43 States, Up in 1 in Jan. 2014; Payroll Jobs Down in 27 States, Up in 23


Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—March 17, 2014. Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in January. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from December, one state had an increase, and six states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. All 50 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier. The national jobless rate, 6.6 percent, was little changed from December but was 1.3 percentage points lower than in January 2013.

In January 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 23 states and decreased in 27 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+33,900), Ohio (+16,700), and Arizona (+8,900). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in California (-31,500), followed by Illinois (-27,600) and Kentucky (-18,500). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Vermont (+1.0 percent), followed by Rhode Island (+0.8 percent) and Nevada (+0.7 percent). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Kentucky (-1.0 percent), followed by Alaska (-0.8 percent) and Connecticut and Delaware    (-0.6 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 46 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 4 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in Nevada (+3.4 percent), followed by North Dakota (+3.3 percent) and Texas (+2.9 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Kentucky and New Mexico (-0.3 percent each), followed by West Virginia (-0.2 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

The West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate in January, 7.3 percent, while the South had the lowest rate, 6.2 percent. Over the month, all four regions had statistically significant unemployment rate declines: the Midwest, Northeast, and South (-0.2 percentage point each) and West (-0.1 point). Significant over-the-year rate declines also occurred in all four regions: the Northeast, South, and West (-1.2 percentage points each) and Midwest (-0.7 point). (See table 1.)

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to have the highest jobless rate, 7.7 percent in January. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 4.8 percent. Seven divisions had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes: the East North Central, East South Central, Middle Atlantic, and West South Central (-0.3 percentage point each); New England and South Atlantic (-0.2 point each); and Pacific (-0.1 point). Eight divisions had significant unemployment rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines. The largest of these were in the Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic (-1.5 percentage points each).

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rate among the states in January, 9.2 percent. North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate, 2.6 percent. In total, 18 states had jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 6.6 percent, 6 states had measurably higher rates, and 26 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines in January. The largest of these were in Louisiana, Michigan, and Tennessee (-0.5 percentage point each). The remaining 31 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.)

North Carolina had the largest jobless rate decline from January 2013 (-2.1 percentage points). Twenty-four additional states and the District of Columbia had smaller but also statistically significant rate decreases over the year. The remaining 25 states had unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In January 2014, 18 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 7 of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in Texas (+33,900), Ohio (+16,700), and Arizona (+8,900). The largest statistically significant job decreases occurred in California (-31,500), Illinois (-27,600), and Kentucky (-18,500). (See tables D and 5.)

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 (+322,400), followed by California (+319,600) and Florida (+192,800). (See table E.)

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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2014 is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 21, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for February 2014 is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 28, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

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

Source: bls.gov

 


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