Unemployment Rates Drop in 37 States

Posted By Mike Maciag | November 20, 2012

According to the Labor Department, unemployment rates fell in 37 states in October as job growth picked up -- but not enough to keep pace with additional workers in some regions.

The jobless rates in most states remained mostly unchanged from September. Fourteen states, though, recorded statistically significant drops in the unemployment rate from the previous month, led by a 0.5 percentage-point decline in South Carolina. Alaska and Wisconsin also saw their jobless rates decline 0.4 percent for the month.

No states reported a statistically significant uptick in unemployment.

The total U.S. labor force, which includes those looking for jobs, rose by 578,000 in October, which was enough to slightly push up the labor force participation rate to 63.8 percent.

In terms of total employment, which is measured using a different survey of employers, 35 states and the District of Columbia reported gains. California (+45,800), Texas (+36,600) and Georgia (+16,100) added the most jobs for the month.

The steepest estimated job losses occurred in Michigan (-16,500) and New Jersey (-11,700), according to the Labor Department.

State Employment Totals and Unemployment Rates for October:

State	October Nonfarm Employment	Sept. Nonfarm Employment	Monthly Change	10/2011 Jobless Rate	09/2012 Jobless Rate	10/2012 Jobless Rate

Alabama	1,881,500	1,876,500	5,000	8.5	8.2	8.1
Alaska	328,000	329,700	-1,700	7.5	7.5	7.1
Arizona	2,463,900	2,467,200	-3,300	9.2	8.2	8.1
Arkansas	1,170,000	1,165,600	4,400	8	7.1	7.2
California	14,417,200	14,371,400	45,800	11.5	10.2	10.1
Colorado	2,310,100	2,301,500	8,600	8.1	8	7.9
Connecticut	1,624,900	1,623,700	1,200	8.5	8.9	9
Delaware	416,200	416,000	200	7.3	6.8	6.8
District of Columbia	739,000	737,500	1,500	10.3	8.7	8.5
Florida	7,371,500	7,356,800	14,700	10.2	8.7	8.5
Georgia	3,954,400	3,938,300	16,100	9.7	9	8.7
Hawaii	607,700	605,500	2,200	6.8	5.7	5.5
Idaho	622,200	619,300	2,900	8.6	7.1	7
Illinois	5,712,600	5,707,800	4,800	10	8.8	8.8
Indiana	2,905,000	2,900,000	5,000	9.1	8.2	8
Iowa	1,496,300	1,490,300	6,000	5.8	5.2	5.1
Kansas	1,344,800	1,348,000	-3,200	6.6	5.9	5.7
Kentucky	1,833,800	1,840,400	-6,600	9.3	8.4	8.4
Louisiana	1,947,700	1,935,500	12,200	7.1	7	6.6
Maine	595,300	595,600	-300	7.3	7.6	7.4
Maryland	2,595,000	2,581,000	14,000	6.9	6.9	6.7
Massachusetts	3,255,100	3,247,200	7,900	7.1	6.5	6.6
Michigan	3,972,700	3,989,200	-16,500	9.9	9.3	9.1
Minnesota	2,710,500	2,718,600	-8,100	6.1	5.8	5.8
Mississippi	1,089,300	1,085,000	4,300	10.7	9.2	8.9
Missouri	2,670,900	2,657,900	13,000	8.3	6.9	6.9
Montana	436,400	433,600	2,800	6.8	6.1	6
Nebraska	958,400	959,100	-700	4.4	3.9	3.8
Nevada	1,136,100	1,133,900	2,200	13.4	11.8	11.5
New Hampshire	626,800	625,800	1,000	5.4	5.7	5.7
New Jersey	3,892,200	3,903,900	-11,700	9.3	9.8	9.7
New Mexico	798,800	795,800	3,000	7.2	6.4	6.3
New York	8,831,600	8,822,200	9,400	8.2	8.9	8.7
North Carolina	3,964,800	3,956,800	8,000	10.6	9.6	9.3
North Dakota	422,000	421,100	900	3.5	3	3.1
Ohio	5,191,900	5,178,000	13,900	8.3	7.1	6.9
Oklahoma	1,603,800	1,602,500	1,300	6.3	5.2	5.3
Oregon	1,636,300	1,638,700	-2,400	9.3	8.7	8.6
Pennsylvania	5,752,200	5,744,700	7,500	7.9	8.2	8.1
Rhode Island	457,000	459,500	-2,500	11.2	10.5	10.4
South Carolina	1,869,000	1,861,700	7,300	10	9.1	8.6
South Dakota	408,900	406,900	2,000	4.4	4.4	4.5
Tennessee	2,694,100	2,686,600	7,500	8.9	8.3	8.2
Texas	10,883,200	10,846,600	36,600	7.8	6.8	6.6
Utah	1,248,100	1,239,400	8,700	6.2	5.4	5.2
Vermont	302,000	303,000	-1,000	5.4	5.4	5.5
Virginia	3,728,900	3,729,500	-600	6.2	5.9	5.7
Washington	2,888,600	2,881,900	6,700	8.9	8.5	8.2
West Virginia	747,600	747,400	200	7.9	7.6	7.5
Wisconsin	2,720,700	2,728,200	-7,500	7.3	7.3	6.9
Wyoming	287,500	288,300	-800	5.8	5.4	5.2

NOTE: October figures are preliminary. Job totals and unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Mike Maciag

Mike Maciag is Data Editor for GOVERNING.

E-mail: mmaciag@governing.com
Twitter: @mmaciag

Comments