A fresh new voice!
|
|
Please visit our sponsors | |||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
A fresh new voice! |
||||||||
Federal Data Reveals Most States Still Suffering High Unemployment
Regional and state unemployment rates were generally higher in December. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia recorded over-the-month unemployment rate increases, four states registered rate decreases, and three states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Over the year, jobless rates increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The national unemployment rate was unchanged in December at 10.0 percent but was 2.6 percentage points higher than a year earlier. In December, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 11 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 39 states. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in Virginia (plus-9,500), followed by Oklahoma (plus-5,000), Oregon (plus-2,900), New Hampshire and Washington (plus-2,000 each). New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Virginia experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (plus-0.3 percent each), followed by the District of Columbia, Hawaii, and Oregon (plus-0.2 percent each). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in California (minus-38,800), followed by Texas (minus-23,900), Ohio (minus-16,700), Illinois (minus-16,300), Michigan (minus-15,700), Wisconsin (minus-15,200), and Georgia (minus-15,100). Montana (minus-1.5 percent) experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment, followed by Nevada (minus-1.0 percent), Iowa and South Dakota (minus-0.9 percent each), and Vermont (minus-0.8 percent). Over the year, non-farm employment decreased in all 50 states, but increased in the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in Wyoming (minue-6.8 percent), Nevada (minus-6.6 percent), Michigan (minus-5.1 percent), and Arizona (minus-4.8 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted) The West had the highest regional jobless rate in December, 10.7 percent. The Northeast recorded the lowest rate, 9.2 percent. The Northeast had a statistically significant rate increase over the month (plus-0.5 percentage point). The South had the only other significant regional rate change (plus-0.3 percentage point). Over the year, all four regions registered significant rate increases, the largest of which was in the West (plus-3.3 percentage points). (See Table 1.) Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless rate, 11.7 percent in December. The East North Central recorded the next highest rate, 11.3 percent. The West North Central registered the lowest December jobless rate, 7.3 percent, followed by the West South Central, 8.0 percent. The South Atlantic rate (10.3 percent) set a new series high. (All region, division and state series begin in 1976.) Five divisions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate increases from a month earlier, the largest of which were in East South Central and New England (plus-0.5 percentage point each). No division had a rate decrease. All nine divisions reported significant over-the-year rate increases of at least 1.8 percentage points. The largest of these occurred in the East South Central (plus-3.8 percentage points) and East North Central (plus-3.7 points).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted) Michigan again recorded the highest unemployment rate among the states, 14.6 percent in December. The states with the next highest rates were Nevada, 13.0 percent; Rhode Island, 12.9 percent; and South Carolina, 12.6 percent. North Dakota continued to register the lowest jobless rate, 4.4 percent in December, followed by Nebraska and South Dakota, 4.7 percent each. The rate in South Carolina set a new series high, as did the rates in three other states: Delaware (9.0 percent), Florida (11.8 percent) and North Carolina (11.2 percent). The rate in the District of Columbia also set a new series high (12.1 percent). In total, 27 states posted jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 10 percent, 10 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 13 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.) Twenty-one states reported statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate increases in December. Louisiana and Mississippi experienced the largest of these (plus-0.8 percentage point each). One state, South Dakota, saw a statistically significant rate decrease from November (minus-0.2 percentage point). The remaining 28 states and the District of Columbia registered jobless rates that were not appreciably 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.) All states and the District of Columbia recorded statistically significant increases in their jobless rates from December 2008. The largest of these increases were in Nevada and West Virginia (plus-4.6 percentage points each), closely followed by Alabama (plus-4.5 points) and Michigan (plus-4.4 points). The smallest rate increases occurred in Minnesota and Nebraska (plus-0.8 percentage point each). (See table C.)
Non-farm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted) In December, 13 states experienced statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, all of which were decreases. The largest statistically significant job losses occurred in California (minus-38,800), Ohio (minus-16,700), and Illinois (minus-16,300). The smallest statistically significant decreases in employment occurred in Vermont (minus-2,400), South Dakota (minus-3,600) and Montana (minus-6,400). (See tables D and 5.) Over the year, 44 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were decreases. The largest statistically significant job losses occurred in California (minus-579,400), Texas (minus-276,000), Illinois (minus-237,300), Florida (minus-232,400) and Michigan (minus-207,100). The smallest statistically significant decreases in employment occurred in South Dakota (minus-10,900), Delaware (minus-12,100) and Montana (minus-13,700). (See table E.) ____________ The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for December 2009 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The Regional and State Unemployment 2009 Annual Averages news release is scheduled to be released on Friday, Feb. 26. The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for January is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 10. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different from that of the U.S., December 2009, seasonally adjusted -------------------------------------------------------------- State | Rate(p) -------------------------------------------------------------- United States (1) ...................| 10.0 Alaska ..............................| 8.8 Arkansas ............................| 7.7 California ..........................| 12.4 Colorado ............................| 7.5 Connecticut .........................| 8.9 Delaware ............................| 9.0 District of Columbia ................| 12.1 Florida .............................| 11.8 Hawaii ..............................| 6.9 Illinois ............................| 11.1 | Iowa ................................| 6.6 Kansas ..............................| 6.6 Louisiana ...........................| 7.5 Maine ...............................| 8.3 Maryland ............................| 7.5 Michigan ............................| 14.6 Minnesota ...........................| 7.4 Montana .............................| 6.7 Nebraska ............................| 4.7 Nevada ..............................| 13.0 | New Hampshire .......................| 7.0 New Mexico ..........................| 8.3 New York ............................| 9.0 North Carolina ......................| 11.2 North Dakota ........................| 4.4 Ohio ................................| 10.9 Oklahoma ............................| 6.6 Oregon ..............................| 11.0 Pennsylvania ........................| 8.9 Rhode Island ........................| 12.9 | South Carolina ......................| 12.6 South Dakota ........................| 4.7 Texas ...............................| 8.3 Utah ................................| 6.7 Vermont .............................| 6.9 Virginia ............................| 6.9 Wisconsin ...........................| 8.7 Wyoming .............................| 7.5 -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Data are not preliminary. p = preliminary. Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes from November 2009 to December 2009, seasonally adjusted ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Rate | |-----------|-----------| Over-the-month State | November | December | rate change(p) | 2009 | 2009(p) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Colorado .......................| 6.9 | 7.5 | 0.6 Connecticut ....................| 8.2 | 8.9 | .7 Delaware .......................| 8.6 | 9.0 | .4 Florida ........................| 11.5 | 11.8 | .3 Louisiana ......................| 6.7 | 7.5 | .8 Massachusetts ..................| 8.7 | 9.4 | .7 Mississippi ....................| 9.8 | 10.6 | .8 Montana ........................| 6.4 | 6.7 | .3 New Mexico .....................| 7.8 | 8.3 | .5 New York .......................| 8.6 | 9.0 | .4 | | | North Carolina .................| 10.7 | 11.2 | .5 North Dakota ...................| 4.1 | 4.4 | .3 Pennsylvania ...................| 8.5 | 8.9 | .4 South Dakota ...................| 4.8 | 4.7 | -.2 Tennessee ......................| 10.2 | 10.9 | .7 Texas ..........................| 8.0 | 8.3 | .3 Utah ...........................| 6.3 | 6.7 | .4 Vermont ........................| 6.4 | 6.9 | .5 Virginia .......................| 6.6 | 6.9 | .3 Washington .....................| 9.0 | 9.5 | .5 West Virginia ..................| 8.4 | 9.1 | .7 Wisconsin ......................| 8.2 | 8.7 | .5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- p = preliminary. Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes from December 2008 to December 2009, seasonally adjusted ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Rate | |-----------|-----------| Over-the-year State | December | December | rate change(p) | 2008 | 2009(p) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama ........................| 6.5 | 11.0 | 4.5 Alaska .........................| 6.8 | 8.8 | 2.0 Arizona ........................| 6.6 | 9.1 | 2.5 Arkansas .......................| 5.7 | 7.7 | 2.0 California .....................| 8.7 | 12.4 | 3.7 Colorado .......................| 5.8 | 7.5 | 1.7 Connecticut ....................| 6.6 | 8.9 | 2.3 Delaware .......................| 5.7 | 9.0 | 3.3 District of Columbia ...........| 8.2 | 12.1 | 3.9 Florida ........................| 7.6 | 11.8 | 4.2 | | | Georgia ........................| 7.5 | 10.3 | 2.8 Hawaii .........................| 5.1 | 6.9 | 1.8 Idaho ..........................| 6.1 | 9.1 | 3.0 Illinois .......................| 7.2 | 11.1 | 3.9 Indiana ........................| 7.8 | 9.9 | 2.1 Iowa ...........................| 4.4 | 6.6 | 2.2 Kansas .........................| 5.0 | 6.6 | 1.6 Kentucky .......................| 7.6 | 10.7 | 3.1 Louisiana ......................| 5.5 | 7.5 | 2.0 Maine ..........................| 6.5 | 8.3 | 1.8 | | | Maryland .......................| 5.4 | 7.5 | 2.1 Massachusetts ..................| 6.4 | 9.4 | 3.0 Michigan .......................| 10.2 | 14.6 | 4.4 Minnesota ......................| 6.6 | 7.4 | .8 Mississippi ....................| 7.8 | 10.6 | 2.8 Missouri .......................| 7.1 | 9.6 | 2.5 Montana ........................| 5.0 | 6.7 | 1.7 Nebraska .......................| 3.9 | 4.7 | .8 Nevada .........................| 8.4 | 13.0 | 4.6 New Hampshire ..................| 4.3 | 7.0 | 2.7 | | | New Jersey .....................| 6.8 | 10.1 | 3.3 New Mexico .....................| 4.7 | 8.3 | 3.6 New York .......................| 6.6 | 9.0 | 2.4 North Carolina .................| 8.1 | 11.2 | 3.1 North Dakota ...................| 3.3 | 4.4 | 1.1 Ohio ...........................| 7.4 | 10.9 | 3.5 Oklahoma .......................| 4.6 | 6.6 | 2.0 Oregon .........................| 8.3 | 11.0 | 2.7 Pennsylvania ...................| 6.4 | 8.9 | 2.5 Rhode Island ...................| 9.4 | 12.9 | 3.5 | | | South Carolina .................| 8.8 | 12.6 | 3.8 South Dakota ...................| 3.7 | 4.7 | 1.0 Tennessee ......................| 7.6 | 10.9 | 3.3 Texas ..........................| 5.6 | 8.3 | 2.7 Utah ...........................| 4.1 | 6.7 | 2.6 Vermont ........................| 5.9 | 6.9 | 1.0 Virginia .......................| 5.0 | 6.9 | 1.9 Washington .....................| 6.5 | 9.5 | 3.0 West Virginia ..................| 4.5 | 9.1 | 4.6 Wisconsin ......................| 5.9 | 8.7 | 2.8 Wyoming ........................| 3.2 | 7.5 | 4.3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- p = preliminary. Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from November 2009 to December 2009, seasonally adjusted -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | November | December | Over-the-month State | 2009 | 2009(p) | change(p) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama.......................| 1,898,900 | 1,888,500 | -10,400 California....................| 14,186,800 | 14,148,000 | -38,800 Georgia.......................| 3,854,800 | 3,839,700 | -15,100 Illinois......................| 5,628,500 | 5,612,200 | -16,300 Iowa..........................| 1,482,000 | 1,468,800 | -13,200 Michigan......................| 3,846,700 | 3,831,000 | -15,700 Montana.......................| 437,400 | 431,000 | -6,400 Nevada........................| 1,166,200 | 1,154,600 | -11,600 Ohio..........................| 5,103,600 | 5,086,900 | -16,700 South Dakota..................| 404,100 | 400,500 | -3,600 | | | Tennessee.....................| 2,646,600 | 2,636,700 | -9,900 Vermont.......................| 294,600 | 292,200 | -2,400 Wisconsin.....................| 2,727,500 | 2,712,300 | -15,200 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- p = preliminary. Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from December 2008 to December 2009, seasonally adjusted -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | December | December | Over-the-year State | 2008 | 2009(p) | change(p) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama.......................| 1,953,500 | 1,888,500 | -65,000 Arizona.......................| 2,534,100 | 2,412,000 | -122,100 California....................| 14,727,400 | 14,148,000 | -579,400 Colorado......................| 2,320,600 | 2,234,000 | -86,600 Connecticut...................| 1,673,900 | 1,614,900 | -59,000 Delaware......................| 421,900 | 409,800 | -12,100 Florida.......................| 7,576,100 | 7,343,700 | -232,400 Georgia.......................| 4,013,600 | 3,839,700 | -173,900 Hawaii........................| 609,400 | 586,100 | -23,300 Illinois......................| 5,849,500 | 5,612,200 | -237,300 | | | Indiana.......................| 2,899,400 | 2,796,300 | -103,100 Iowa..........................| 1,508,900 | 1,468,800 | -40,100 Kansas........................| 1,389,600 | 1,329,900 | -59,700 Kentucky......................| 1,823,800 | 1,764,500 | -59,300 Louisiana.....................| 1,948,600 | 1,901,700 | -46,900 Maine.........................| 604,800 | 588,800 | -16,000 Maryland......................| 2,568,400 | 2,524,000 | -44,400 Massachusetts.................| 3,230,200 | 3,164,000 | -66,200 Michigan......................| 4,038,100 | 3,831,000 | -207,100 Minnesota.....................| 2,722,300 | 2,642,400 | -79,900 | | | Mississippi...................| 1,127,200 | 1,101,400 | -25,800 Missouri......................| 2,770,900 | 2,708,300 | -62,600 Montana.......................| 444,700 | 431,000 | -13,700 Nebraska......................| 963,700 | 938,300 | -25,400 Nevada........................| 1,235,600 | 1,154,600 | -81,000 New Jersey....................| 4,000,500 | 3,910,400 | -90,100 New Mexico....................| 843,100 | 817,100 | -26,000 New York......................| 8,713,500 | 8,544,900 | -168,600 North Carolina................| 4,048,200 | 3,924,000 | -124,200 Ohio..........................| 5,271,800 | 5,086,900 | -184,900 | | | Oklahoma......................| 1,595,600 | 1,558,900 | -36,700 Oregon........................| 1,689,600 | 1,617,200 | -72,400 Pennsylvania..................| 5,749,200 | 5,598,900 | -150,300 Rhode Island..................| 471,200 | 453,800 | -17,400 South Carolina................| 1,884,100 | 1,846,400 | -37,700 South Dakota..................| 411,400 | 400,500 | -10,900 Tennessee.....................| 2,726,100 | 2,636,700 | -89,400 Texas.........................| 10,631,300 | 10,355,300 | -276,000 Utah..........................| 1,246,700 | 1,200,100 | -46,600 Virginia......................| 3,711,200 | 3,656,500 | -54,700 | | | Washington....................| 2,923,700 | 2,834,900 | -88,800 West Virginia.................| 757,400 | 738,500 | -18,900 Wisconsin.....................| 2,832,800 | 2,712,300 | -120,500 Wyoming.......................| 303,100 | 282,400 | -20,700 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- p = preliminary.
· Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Technical Note · Table 1. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, seasonally adjusted · Table 3. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, seasonally adjusted · Table 4. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, not seasonally adjusted · Table 5. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, seasonally adjusted
|