National

November 2014 Jobless Rates Down in 41 States, Up in 3; Payroll Jobs Up in 37 States, Down in 12


Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—December 19, 2014. Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in November. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from October, three states had increases, and six 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, four states had increases, and three states had no change. The national jobless rate was unchanged from October at 5.8 percent and was 1.2 percentage points lower than in November 2013.

In November 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 37 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 12 states, and was unchanged in Idaho. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+90,100), Florida (+41,900), and Texas (+34,800). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in West Virginia (-5,200), followed by Mississippi (-4,500) and Kansas (-4,100). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Vermont (+1.2 percent), followed by Hawaii (+0.9 percent) and Delaware, South Carolina, and Wisconsin (+0.7 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in West Virginia (-0.7 percent), followed by Mississippi (-0.4 percent) and Kansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming (-0.3 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 48 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in Alaska (-0.4 percent) and Mississippi (-0.1 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+4.8 percent), followed by Texas (+3.9 percent) and Utah (+3.4 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In November, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 6.4 percent, while the Midwest had the lowest rate, 5.4 percent. There were statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes in the Midwest and South (-0.2 percentage point each) and Northeast (-0.1 point). Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the Midwest (-1.5 percentage points), Northeast (-1.3 points), West (-1.2 points), and South (-0.8 point). (See table 1.)

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific had the highest jobless rate, 6.9 percent in November. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 4.3 percent. Over the month, statistically significant jobless rate changes occurred in the Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic (-0.3 percentage point each) and the East North Central, East South Central, and West North Central (-0.2 point each). All nine divisions had significant rate declines from a year earlier. The largest of these decreases occurred in the East North Central (-1.9 percentage points).

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Mississippi had the highest unemployment rate among the states in November, 7.3 percent. The District of Columbia had a rate of 7.4 percent. North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate, 2.7 percent. In total, 20 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 5.8 percent, 8 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 22 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)

In November, 22 states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes, all of which were declines. North Carolina had the largest decrease (-0.5 percentage point), followed by Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, and Michigan (-0.4 point each). The remaining 28 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. (See table B.)

Twenty-eight states had statistically significant unemployment rate changes over the year, all of which were decreases. The largest of these occurred in Illinois (-2.6 percentage points). The remaining 22 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In November 2014, 20 states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant over-the-month increases in employment, and 2 states had decreases. The largest significant job gains occurred in California (+90,100), Florida (+41,900), and Texas (+34,800). The significant job decreases occurred in West Virginia (-5,200) and Mississippi (-4,500). (See tables D and 5.)

Over the year, 34 states and the District had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest significant over-the-year job increase occurred in Texas (+441,200), followed by California (+344,100) and Florida (+229,900). (See table E.)

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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for November is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, December 30, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. (EST). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for December is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, January 27, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).

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

Source: bls.gov


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