Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—December 21, 2012. Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in November. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases and five states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, six states experienced increases, and one state had no change. The national jobless rate, 7.7 percent, edged down from October and was 1.0 percentage point lower than in November 2011.
In November 2012, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states and decreased in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in North Carolina (+30,600), followed by Florida (+24,500) and Texas (+22,100). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in New York (-33,500), followed by Indiana (-9,100) and New Jersey (-8,100).
November data for New Jersey and New York reflect the impact of Hurricane Sandy, as well as underlying economic trends. Louisiana experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.9 percent), followed by Hawaii, Nevada, and North Carolina (+0.8 percent each). The District of Columbia experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.7 percent), followed by Nebraska and New York (-0.4 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 45 states and decreased in 5 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+4.7 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in West Virginia (-1.8 percent).
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the Northeast coast on October 29th, causing severe damage in some states. Nevertheless, survey response rates in the affected states were within normal ranges. See the box notes at the end of this release for information on the storm’s impact on employment and unemployment estimating procedures for November.
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
The West continued to record the highest regional unemployment rate in November, 8.7 percent, while the Midwest again reported the lowest rate, 7.1 percent. Over the month, all four regions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate declines: the Northeast, South, and West (-0.3 percentage point each) and the Midwest (-0.2 point).
Significant over-the-year rate changes were registered in three regions: the West (-1.3 percentage points), the South (-1.2 points), and the Midwest (-0.9 point). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless rate, 9.3 percent in November. The West North Central again registered the lowest rate, 5.5 percent. Seven divisions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate changes over the month, all decreases, the largest of which were recorded in the East South Central and West South Central (-0.4 percentage point each).
Seven divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were decreases. The largest of these declines occurred in the Pacific and West South Central (-1.3 percentage points each).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 10.8 percent in November, followed by Rhode Island at 10.4 percent. North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate, 3.1 percent. In total, 25 states reported jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 7.7 percent, 9 states had measurably higher rates, and 16 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)
Twenty-three states reported statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate decreases in November. The largest of these occurred in Louisiana and Nevada (-0.8 and -0.7 percentage point, respectively). The remaining 27 states and the District of Columbia recorded 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-two states and the District of Columbia reported statistically significant unemployment rate changes from November 2011, all of which were declines. The largest of these occurred in Nevada (-2.4 percentage points), followed by Mississippi (-2.1 points) and Florida (-2.0 points). (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In November 2012, thirteen states recorded statistically significant over-the-month increases in employment, and two states and the District of Columbia had decreases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in North Carolina (+30,600), Florida (+24,500), and Louisiana (+16,900). The statistically significant job decreases occurred in New York (-33,500), the District of Columbia (-5,000), and Nebraska (-3,500). (See table D.)
Over the year, 29 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment; only West Virginia’s employment decreased (-13,800). The largest over-the-year jobs increase occurred in Texas (+278,800), followed by California (+268,600) and Ohio (+100,400). (See table E.)
To review the tables and charts referenced above, see: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm
Source: bls.gov