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

Some states added jobs, but jobless rates increased for most states last month. View updated data for each state.

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:



 
           
State Monthly Employment Change Year-Over-Year Employment Change Year-Over-Year Change (%) June Unemployment Rate Rate Change from 6-2011
California 38,300 279,100 2.0 10.7 -1.2
Ohio 18,400 100,000 2.0 7.2 -1.7
North Carolina 16,900 37,000 0.9 9.4 -1.2
Pennsylvania 14,600 37,200 0.7 7.5 -0.5
Texas 12,900 231,800 2.2 7 -1.1
Arizona 12,000 58,000 2.4 8.2 -1.4
New Jersey 9,900 65,000 1.7 9.6 0.2
Florida 9,000 70,900 1.0 8.6 -2.1
Minnesota 7,200 30,800 1.2 5.6 -1.1
Utah 4,400 31,300 2.6 6 -0.9
New York 4,200 136,900 1.6 8.9 0.7
Virginia 3,300 49,400 1.3 5.7 -0.6
Alaska 3,200 2,500 0.8 7.3 -0.3
Nebraska 2,800 15,100 1.6 3.8 -0.7
South Dakota 2,700 4,400 1.1 4.3 -0.4
North Dakota 2,600 25,700 6.5 2.9 -0.7
Georgia 2,200 42,700 1.1 9 -0.9
Washington 2,200 53,000 1.9 8.3 -1
Oregon 1,700 15,900 1.0 8.5 -1.1
District of Columbia 1,600 9,500 1.3 9.1 -1.3
New Hampshire 1,600 3,900 0.6 5.1 -0.4
Delaware 1,500 3,800 0.9 6.7 -0.7
Connecticut 1,400 8,800 0.5 8.1 -0.8
Illinois 800 25,500 0.4 8.7 -1.2
Kentucky 700 37,700 2.1 8.2 -1.4
Idaho 500 12,300 2.0 7.7 -1.1
Oklahoma 500 40,800 2.6 4.7 -1.4
Wyoming 300 1,700 0.6 5.4 -0.6
South Carolina 100 20,300 1.1 9.4 -1.1
Montana 100 2,000 0.5 6.3 -0.6
Maine -600 -500 -0.1 7.5 -0.1
Rhode Island -900 -3,900 -0.8 10.9 -0.5
Nevada -1,000 14,800 1.3 11.6 -2.2
West Virginia -1,200 10,600 1.4 7 -1
Michigan -1,300 51,500 1.3 8.6 -2
Vermont -1,400 3,700 1.2 4.7 -0.9
Louisiana -1,500 52,700 2.8 7.5 0.2
Hawaii -1,800 7,100 1.2 6.4 -0.3
Iowa -2,400 20,600 1.4 5.2 -0.8
Massachusetts -2,600 35,300 1.1 6 -1.4
Kansas -2,800 15,900 1.2 6.1 -0.7
Mississippi -3,800 -4,200 -0.4 8.8 -2
New Mexico -3,800 -2,100 -0.3 6.5 -1
Missouri -4,000 -4,100 -0.2 7.1 -1.6
Arkansas -4,300 6,900 0.6 7.2 -0.9
Alabama -4,900 5,000 0.3 7.8 -1.5
Indiana -5,300 51,600 1.8 8 -1.1
Colorado -6,900 33,600 1.5 8.2 -0.2
Maryland -11,000 28,200 1.1 6.9 -0.3
Tennessee -12,100 41,800 1.6 8.1 -1.3
Wisconsin -13,200 -19,600 -0.7 7 -0.6



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

Mike Maciag is Data Editor for GOVERNING.
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