Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—July 21, 2015. Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in June. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from May, 12 states had increases, and 17 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, five states had increases, and three states had no change. The national jobless rate declined from May to 5.3 percent and was 0.8 percentage point lower than in June 2014.
In June 2015, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 31 states, decreased in 17 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in 2 states. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in New York (+25,500), California (+23,000), and Texas (+16,700). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Illinois (-7,500), followed by New Jersey (-7,400) and Maryland (-6,200). The largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment occurred in South Dakota (+0.6 percent) and South Carolina (+0.5 percent), followed by Colorado, Kansas, and Virginia (+0.4 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage declines in employment occurred in Alaska (-1.1 percent), Wyoming (-0.8 percent), and Idaho (-0.7 percent). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 48 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 2 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in Utah (+4.3 percent), followed by Nevada and Washington (+3.5 percent each). The over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in West Virginia (-1.2 percent) and Wyoming (-0.7 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In June, the Midwest had the lowest regional unemployment rate, 5.0 percent, while the West had the highest rate, 5.8 percent. Over the month, the Northeast had the only statistically significant unemployment rate change (-0.2 percentage point). Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the West (-0.9 percentage point), Midwest (-0.8 point), and Northeast and South (-0.7 point each). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the West North Central had the lowest unemployment rate, 4.3 percent in June. The Pacific had the highest rate, 6.1 percent. Over the month, the Middle Atlantic had the only statistically significant jobless rate change (-0.2 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, East South Central, New England, and Pacific (-1.1 percentage points each).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Nebraska had the lowest jobless rate in June, 2.6 percent. West Virginia had the highest rate, 7.4 percent. In total, 18 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 5.3 percent, 11 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)
In June, statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines occurred in New Jersey (-0.4 percentage point), Connecticut and the District of Columbia (-0.3 point each), and Florida and Indiana (-0.2 point each). The only significant over-the-month rate increase was in Oregon (+0.2 percentage point). The remaining 45 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.
Twenty-four states had statistically significant unemployment rate declines from June 2014, the largest of which occurred in Rhode Island (-1.8 percentage points). The only significant over-the-year rate increases occurred in North Dakota and South Dakota (+0.4 percentage point each). The remaining 24 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table B.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In June 2015, 11 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 7 of which were positive. The largest significant job gains occurred in New York (+25,500), Virginia (+13,400), and Colorado (+11,300). The significant job decreases occurred in Idaho (-4,800), West Virginia (-4,500), Alaska (-3,900), and Wyoming (-2,200). (See tables C and 5.)
Over the year, 34 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest significant over-the-year job increase occurred in California (+461,900), followed by Texas (+269,900) and Florida (+266,200). (See table D.)
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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for June 2015 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for July 2015 is scheduled to be released on Friday, August 21, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
To view the tables reference above, see: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm
Source: www.bls.gov
