Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—August 21, 2015. Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in July. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from June, 14 states had increases, and 12 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, six states had increases, and three states had no change. The national jobless rate was unchanged from June at 5.3 percent and was 0.9 percentage point lower than in July 2014.
In July 2015, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 34 states and decreased in 16 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+80,700), Texas (+31,400), and Florida (+30,500). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in New Jersey (-13,600), followed by Louisiana (-4,500) and Kansas (-4,300). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Wyoming (+0.9 percent), followed by Oklahoma and Rhode Island (+0.7 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in North Dakota (-0.5 percent), followed by Hawaii, Kansas, New Jersey, and West Virginia (-0.3 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 47 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 2 states, and was unchanged in Alaska.
The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in Utah (+4.4 percent), followed by Nevada (+3.7 percent) and Florida (+3.5 percent). The over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in West Virginia (-2.5 percent) and North Dakota (-0.6 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July, the Midwest had the lowest regional unemployment rate, 4.8 percent, while the West had the highest rate, 5.7 percent. Over the month, the Midwest and Northeast had statistically significant unemployment rate changes (-0.2 percentage point each). Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the West (-1.0 percentage point), Midwest (-0.9 point), and Northeast and South (-0.8 point each). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the West North Central had the lowest unemployment rate, 4.3 percent in July. The Pacific had the highest rate, 6.0 percent. Over the month, the East North Central had the only statistically significant jobless rate change (-0.2 percentage point). Eight 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 (-1.2 percentage points).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Nebraska had the lowest jobless rate in July, 2.7 percent. West Virginia had the highest rate, 7.5 percent. In total, 18 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 5.3 percent, 10 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 July, statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines occurred in Connecticut and Hawaii (-0.3 percentage point each) and New York and North Dakota (-0.1 point each). Significant over-the-month rate increases occurred in Oregon (+0.4 percentage point), Arizona (+0.2 point), and Nebraska (+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-one states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant unemployment rate declines from July 2014, the largest of which occurred in Rhode Island (-1.8 percentage points) and Michigan (-1.7 points). The only significant over-the-year rate increases occurred in West Virginia (+1.0 percentage point) and South Dakota (+0.5 point). The remaining 27 states had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table B.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July 2015, 17 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, 16 of which were positive. The largest significant job gains occurred in California (+80,700), Texas (+31,400), and Florida (+30,500). The only significant job decrease occurred in New Jersey (-13,600). (See tables C and 5.)
Over the year, 34 states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant increases in employment and West Virginia had a significant decrease (-19,100). The largest significant over-the-year job increase occurred in California (+494,300), followed by Florida (+271,500) and Texas (+260,500). (See table D.)
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The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for July 2015 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 1, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for August 2015 is scheduled to be released on Friday, September 18, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
The tables referenced above can be seen at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm
Source: www.dol.gov
