In June, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 39 states and the District of Columbia, increased in 10 states, and was unchanged in 1 state. The largest over-the-month decrease in the level of employment occurred in California (-66,500), followed by Texas (-40,600), Ohio (-33,000), and Michigan (-31,300). Kansas experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment (-1.4 percent), followed by New Mexico (-0.9 percent), Michigan (-0.8 percent), and Wyoming (-0.7 percent). The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in North Carolina (4,700), Mississippi (4,500), Arkansas (3,400), and Montana (2,700). Montana (+0.6 percent) experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment, followed by North Dakota (+0.5 percent) and Mississippi (+0.4 percent). Over the year, nonfarm employment decreased in 48 states and the District of Columbia, increased in 1 state, and remained unchanged in 1 state. The largest over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in Michigan (-8.1 percent), Arizona (-7.4 percent), Nevada (-6.2 percent), and Oregon (-5.6 percent). Only North Dakota (+1.6 percent) reported an over-the-year percentage increase, while Alaska remained unchanged.
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In June, the Midwest and West reported the highest regional jobless rates, 10.2 percent each. The Northeast recorded the lowest rate, 8.6 percent. Three of the 4 regions registered statistically significant rate changes from the previous month: the Midwest (+0.4 percentage point) and the Northeast and South (+0.3 point each). All four regions experienced significant jobless rate increases from June 2008, the largest of which were in the Midwest and West (+4.2 and +4.1 percentage points, respectively).
Among the nine geographic divisions, the East North Central and Pacific reported the highest unemployment rates in June, 11.4 and 11.2 percent, respectively. The Pacific rate was the highest on record for that division; the South Atlantic, at 9.8 percent, alsoposted a series high. (All region, division, and state series begin in 1976.) The West South Central registered the lowest jobless rate, 7.3 percent, in June. Five of the 9 divisions experienced statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes, all of which were increases: the East North Central and Middle Atlantic (+0.4 percentage point each), Mountain and West South Central (+0.3 point each), and South Atlantic (+0.2 point). All nine divisions had significant over-the-year rate increases, with the East North Central and Pacific recording the largest changes (+4.8 and +4.6 percentage points, respectively).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Michigan again reported the highest jobless rate, 15.2 percent, in June. (The last state to have an unemployment rate of 15.0 percent or higher was West Virginia in March 1984.) The states with the next highest rates were Rhode Island, 12.4 percent; Oregon, 12.2 percent; South Carolina, 12.1 percent; Nevada, 12.0 percent; California, 11.6 percent; Ohio, 11.1 percent; and North Carolina, 11.0 percent. The Nevada, Rhode Island, and South Carolina rates were the highest on record for those states. Florida, at 10.6 percent, Georgia, at 10.1 percent, and Delaware, at 8.4 percent, also posted series highs. North Dakota registered the lowest unemployment rate in June, 4.2 percent. Overall, 12 states and the District of Columbia had significantly higher jobless rates than the U.S. figure of 9.5 percent, 27 states reported measurably lower rates, and 11 states had rates little different from that of the nation.
Twelve states recorded statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate increases in June. Michigan reported the largest of these (+1.1 percentage points), followed by Wyoming (+0.9 point) and West Virginia (+0.8 point). Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia registered June 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.
Michigan reported the largest jobless rate increase from a year earlier (+7.1 percentage points), followed by Oregon (+6.3 points). Four additional states recorded rate increases of 5.0 percentage points or more. The remaining 44 states and the District of Columbia had smaller, but also statistically significant, rate increases from June 2008.
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Between May and June 2009, 14 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were decreases. The largest statistically significant decreases occurred in California (-66,500), Texas (-40,600), Ohio (-33,000), and Michigan (-31,300).
Over the year, 45 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment; 44 had decreases and 1 reported an increase. The largest statistically significant job losses occurred in California (-766,300), Florida (-392,800), Michigan (-337,600), Ohio (-279,000), Illinois (-272,600), and Texas (-266,300). The only statistically significant over-the-year employment increase occurred in North Dakota (+6,000). Three states recorded statistically significant decreases in employment that were less than 15,000: New Hampshire (-13,300), Vermont (-12,300), and Wyoming (-8,000).
