Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—May 16, 2014. Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in April. Forty-three states had unemployment rate decreases, two states had increases, and five states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, one state had an increase, and two states had no change. The national jobless rate fell to 6.3 percent from March and was 1.2 percentage points lower than in April 2013.
In April 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 39 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 10 states, and was unchanged in Nebraska. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+64,100), California (+56,100), and Florida (+34,000). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Illinois (-6,800), followed by Minnesota (-4,200) and Maine (-2,200). The largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment occurred in Alaska, Colorado, and Texas (+0.6 percent each), followed by the District of Columbia and Hawaii (+0.5 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage declines in employment occurred in Maine (-0.4 percent), Wyoming (-0.3 percent), and New Mexico (-0.2 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 North Dakota (+5.2 percent), followed by Nevada (+3.8 percent) and Florida (+3.3 percent). The only over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in New Mexico (-0.7 percent) and Virginia (-0.1 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In April, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 7.0 percent, while the South again had the lowest rate, 5.9 percent. Over the month, all four regions had statistically significant unemployment rate declines: the Midwest and Northeast (-0.3 percentage point each), West (-0.2 point), and South (-0.1 point). Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the Northeast (-1.4 percentage points), South (-1.3 points), and Midwest and West (-1.1 points each). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to have the highest jobless rate, 7.4 percent in April. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 5.0 percent. Over the month, six divisions had statistically significant unemployment rate declines, the largest of which occurred in the East North Central and Mountain (-0.3 percentage point each). No division had a significant increase over the month. Eight divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines. The largest of these decreases occurred in the Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic (-1.5 percentage points each) and East North Central (-1.4 points).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rate among the states in April, 8.3 percent. North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate, 2.6 percent. In total, 19 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 6.3 percent, 7 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 April, Illinois and Nevada had the largest over-the-month unemployment rate declines (-0.5 percentage point each). Eighteen additional states had smaller but also statistically significant rate decreases. The remaining 30 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.)
South Carolina (-2.6 percentage points) and North Carolina (-2.2 points) had the largest unemployment rate declines from April 2013. Thirty-one additional states had smaller but also statistically significant rate decreases over the year. The remaining 17 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 April 2014, 13 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, all of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in Texas (+64,100), California (+56,100), and Florida (+34,000). (See tables D and 5.)
Over the year, 29 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in Texas (+348,000), followed by California (+340,200) and Florida (+246,800). (See table E.)
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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released on Friday, June 20, 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
