Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—November 20, 2015. Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in October. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from September, 3 states had increases, and 15 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, three states had increases, and four states had no change. The national jobless rate was essentially unchanged from September at 5.0 percent and was 0.7 percentage point lower than in October 2014.
In October 2015, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 40 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 9 states, and was unchanged in Delaware. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+41,200), Florida (+35,200), and Ohio (+30,800). The largest over-the-month decreases in employment occurred in Louisiana (-6,200), Indiana (-3,400), and North Carolina (-3,100). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Idaho (+1.1 percent), followed by Alaska (+0.9 percent) and Wyoming (+0.8 percent). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Louisiana (-0.3 percent), followed by North Dakota (-0.2 percent) and Connecticut, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, and West Virginia (-0.1 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 Idaho (+3.8 percent), Utah (+3.5 percent), and Nevada (+3.4 percent). The over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in North Dakota (-2.1 percent), West Virginia (-1.8 percent), and Louisiana (-0.5 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In October, the Midwest had the lowest regional unemployment rate, 4.5 percent, while the West had the highest rate, 5.5 percent. Over the month, no region had a statistically significant unemployment rate change. Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the West (-1.0 percentage point), Midwest and Northeast (-0.9 point each), and South (-0.6 point). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the West North Central had the lowest unemployment rate, 4.0 percent in October. The East South Central and Pacific had the highest rates, 5.6 percent each. Over the month, no division had a statistically significant jobless rate change. All divisions except the Mountain had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines. The largest of these decreases occurred in the Pacific (-1.3 percentage points).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
North Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in October, 2.8 percent, followed by Nebraska, 2.9 percent. West Virginia had the highest rate, 6.9 percent. In total, 20 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 5.0 percent, 12 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 18 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)
In October, seven states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines: West Virginia (-0.4 percentage point); Kansas, Missouri, New York, and South Dakota (-0.3 point each); and Colorado and Idaho (-0.2 point each). Texas had the only significant over-the-month rate increase (+0.2 percentage point). The remaining 42 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.
Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant unemployment rate declines from October 2014, the largest of which occurred in Rhode Island (-1.7 percentage points) and Michigan (-1.6 points). The only significant over-the-year rate increase was in New Mexico (+0.6 percentage point). The remaining 24 states had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table B.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In October 2015, 23 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest significant job gains occurred in California (+41,200), Florida (+35,200), and Ohio (+30,800). (See tables C and 5.)
Over the year, 35 states had statistically significant increases in employment, and West Virginia (-13,700) and North Dakota (-9,700) had significant decreases. The largest significant over-the-year job increase occurred in California (+463,000), followed by Florida (+239,900) and Texas (+203,900). (See table D.)
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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for October 2015 is scheduled to be released on Monday, December 7, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).
The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for November 2015 is scheduled to be released on Friday, December 18, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).
The tables/charts referenced above can be viewed at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm
Source: www.bls.gov
