Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—August 18, 2014. Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in July. Thirty states had unemployment rate increases from June, 8 states had decreases, and 12 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier and one state had an increase. The national jobless rate was little changed from June at 6.2 percent but was 1.1 percentage points lower than in July 2013.
In July 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 36 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 13 states, and was unchanged in Iowa. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+46,600), California (+27,700), and Michigan (+17,900). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Ohio (-12,400), followed by Maryland (-9,000) and South Carolina (-4,600). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Montana (+0.7 percent), followed by Arizona, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, and Utah (+0.5 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in West Virginia (-0.4 percent), followed by Maryland (-0.3 percent) and Ohio and South Carolina (-0.2 percent each).
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 49 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in Alaska (-0.7 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+4.4 percent), followed by Nevada (+3.8 percent) and Utah (+3.6 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 6.6 percent, while the Midwest again had the lowest rate, 5.9 percent. The South had the only statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate change (+0.1 percentage point). Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the Northeast and West (-1.5 percentage points each), Midwest (-1.4 points), and South (-1.0 point). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the East South Central had the highest unemployment rate, 7.3 percent in July. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 4.9 percent. Over the month, the South Atlantic had the only statistically significant jobless rate change (+0.1 percentage point). Seven divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines. The largest of these decreases occurred in the East North Central (-1.8 percentage points) and Middle Atlantic and Pacific (-1.5 points each).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Mississippi had the highest unemployment rate among the states in July, 8.0 percent. North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate, 2.8 percent. In total, 18 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 6.2 percent, 8 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.)
In July, seven states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate increases: Tennessee (+0.5 percentage point); Georgia, South Carolina, and Wyoming (+0.4 point each); Maryland and Vermont (+0.3 point each); and Iowa (+0.1 point). The remaining 43 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-nine states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant unemployment rate changes over the year, all of which were decreases. The largest of these declines occurred in Illinois (-2.4 percentage points), Nevada (-2.2 points), and South Carolina (-2.0 points). The remaining 21 states had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table B.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July, 15 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 14 of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in Texas (+46,600), California (+27,700), and Michigan (+17,900). The only statistically significant job decrease occurred in Maryland (-9,000). (See tables C and 5.)
Over the year, 30 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in Texas (+396,200), followed by California (+323,600) and Florida (+208,500). (See table D.)
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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for July is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 27, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for August is scheduled to be released on Friday, September 19, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
To view the tables referenced above, see: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm
Source: bls.gov
