Between June 2008 and July 2008 nonfarm payroll employment increased in 14 states and the District of Columbia, and decreased in 36 states. The largest employment increases were recorded in Texas (+17,700), Kentucky (+11,300), Kansas (+8,800), the District of Columbia (+6,700), and Tennessee (+5,700). The District of Columbia posted the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+1.0 percent), followed by South Dakota (+0.9 percent), Kansas and Kentucky (+0.6 percent each), and North Dakota (+0.3 percent). The largest employment decreases occurred in Florida (-21,400), Georgia (-18,900), Indiana (-16,500), California (-14,900), and Arizona (-14,100). Alaska experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.7 percent), followed by Indiana (-0.6 percent), and Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, and Utah (-0.5 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 29 states and the District of Columbia, and decreased in 21 states. The largest over-the-year percentage gains in employment were reported in Texas (+2.4 percent), the District of Columbia (+2.3 percent), and Wyoming (+2.2 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage declines in employment occurred in Rhode Island (-2.6 percent), Arizona (-1.5 percent), Florida (-1.2 percent), and Michigan (-1.1 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July, the Midwest and West regions again posted the highest jobless rates, 6.5 and 6.3 percent, respectively. The Northeast and South recorded the lowest unemployment rates, 5.3 and 5.5 percent, respectively. The Midwest, South, and West registered statistically significant rate changes from the previous month (+0.4 percentage point each). All four regions reported significant jobless rate increases from July 2007: the West (+1.6 percentage points), Midwest (+1.3 points), South (+1.2 points), and Northeast (+0.8 point).
Among the nine geographic divisions, the East North Central continued to post the highest unemployment rate, 7.1 percent in July, followed by the Pacific, at 6.9 percent, and the East South Central, at 6.6 percent. The West South Central again recorded the lowest jobless rate, 4.6 percent. The Mountain registered the next lowest rate, 4.9 percent. Seven divisions reported statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes, all increases: the East South Central, South Atlantic, and West North Central (+0.5 percentage point each); East North Central and Pacific (+0.4 point each); West South Central (+0.3 point); and Mountain (+0.2 point). Over the year, eight divisions had significant rate changes, all increases: the East South Central (+1.9 percentage points), Pacific (+1.7 points), South Atlantic (+1.6 points), East North Central (+1.5 points), Mountain (+1.3 points), New England and West North Central (+0.9 point each), and Middle Atlantic (+0.8 point).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July, Michigan continued to post the highest jobless rate, 8.5 percent. Six additional states recorded rates of 7.0 percent or higher: Mississippi (7.9 percent), Rhode Island (7.7 percent),
California and Illinois (7.3 percent each), Ohio (7.2 percent), and South Carolina (7.0 percent). South Dakota again logged the lowest unemployment rate, 3.0 percent, followed by Nebraska, at 3.4 percent, and North Dakota and Utah, at 3.5 percent each. Overall, 12 states and the District of Columbia registered significantly higher jobless rates than the U.S., 22 states reported measurably lower rates, and 16 states had rates little different from that of the nation.
Mississippi and South Carolina posted the largest unemployment rate increases from June to July (+0.9 percentage point each). Eighteen more states and the District of Columbia also experienced statistically significant rate increases. Two states, West Virginia and Arkansas, recorded significant jobless rate decreases from the prior month (-0.8 and -0.5 percentage point, respectively). The remaining 28 states registered July unemployment 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.
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant jobless rate increases from July 2007. Rhode Island reported the largest rate increase (+2.7 percentage points), followed by Tennessee (+2.3 points), Illinois (+2.2 points), and Florida (+2.0 points). Twenty-four other states and the District of Columbia posted over-the-year rate increases of 1.0 percentage point or more. Fifteen additional states had smaller, but also statistically significant, rate increases from July 2007. Arkansas experienced the only statistically significant unemployment rate decrease (-1.0 percentage point). The remaining six states recorded July 2008 jobless rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier.
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Between June 2008 and July 2008, seven states and the District of Columbia reported statistically significant changes in employment, four of which were increases. The gains were in Kentucky (+11,300), Kansas (+8,800), the District of Columbia (+6,700), and South Dakota (+3,800). The employment losses were in Georgia (-18,900), Indiana (-16,500), Arizona (-14,100), and Utah (-6,400).
Over the year, seven states posted statistically significant changes in employment, three of which were job increases. The employment gains occurred in Texas (+248,700), North Carolina (+38,300), and Colorado (+30,800). The 4 statistically significant over-the-year declines were in Florida (-96,800), Michigan (-48,700), Arizona (-41,300), and Rhode Island (-13,000).
