Jobless Rates Rise as Calif., Ohio, North Carolina Add Most Jobs

While some states added jobs in June, the still-sluggish growth wasn’t enough to stop most state unemployment rates from climbing.

Labor Department data released today indicates eight states recorded statistically significant increases in payroll employment for the month, and 27 states saw jobless rate increases.

California’s numbers were the most encouraging in the report, adding another estimated 38,300 jobs for the month after payrolls expanded by nearly 46,000 in May. Although the state’s unemployment rate fell to 10.7 percent from 10.8 percent, its job market still remains one of the nation’s weakest.

Ohio added an estimated 18,400 jobs in June, the second most of any state. The state’s seasonally-adjusted jobless rate has steadily dropped to 7.2 percent, down from 8.9 percent in June 2011.

North Carolina (16,900) and Pennsylvania (14,600) recorded the next-highest increases in nonfarm payroll employment for the month.

These gains, though, were partly offset by job losses in other states.

Wisconsin’s job total declined 13,200 in June, the most of any state -- enough to push its jobless rate up 0.2 percent. The leisure and hospitality and trade industries were the hardest hit, along with a reduction of 2,500 local government jobs, according to a report from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Tennessee (-12,100) and Maryland (-11,000) also recorded significant job losses for the month. 

The Labor Department did not consider most states’ unemployment rate change to be statistically significant. Alabama and New Jersey’s rate increased the most, by 0.4 percent in June, followed by Alaska and New York.

Overall, the nation added an estimated 80,000 jobs for the month, with sizable gains in the professional and business services sectors. The U.S. seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.2 percent.

The Labor Department will publish national unemployment figures for July on Aug. 3.

State Employment Totals and Unemployment Rates for June:

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