District of Columbia and Iowa (+0.3 percent each), and Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota (+0.2 percent each). The largest over-the-month decreases in employment occurred in California (-10,900), Florida (-6,000), North Carolina (-3,800), Oregon (-3,700), and South Carolina (-3,100). Rhode Island experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment (-0.4 percent), followed by Oregon, South Carolina, and West Virginia (-0.2 percent each) and California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, and North Carolina (-0.1 percent each).
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 35 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 14 states, and was unchanged in 1 state (Vermont). The largest over-the year percentage increases in employment occurred in Wyoming (+2.8 percent), Texas (+2.3 percent), Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Utah (+1.6 percent each), and Colorado, the District of Columbia, and Montana (+1.5 percent each). Rhode Island recorded the largest over-the-year percent-age decrease in employment (-2.3 percent), followed by Michigan (-1.6 percent), Florida (-0.9 percent), Wisconsin (-0.7 percent), and Arizona (-0.6 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In May, the Midwest and West regions registered the highest jobless rates, 5.9 and 5.8 percent, respectively. The South and Northeast reported the lowest rates, 5.1 and 5.2 percent, respectively. The Midwest posted the largest over-the-month rate increase (+0.8 percentage point). The Northeast, South, and West recorded smaller rate increases (+0.5 percentage point each). All these rate increases were statistically significant. Likewise, all regions had significant rate increases from a year earlier: the West (+1.2 percentage point), South (+0.9 point), and Midwest and Northeast (+0.8 point each).
Among the nine geographic divisions, the East North Central and Pacific registered the highest jobless rates in May, 6.4 percent each, while the Mountain and West South Central reported the lowest rates, 4.4 percent each. All divisions posted statistically significant over-the-month rate increases (ranging from +0.3 percentage point in the West South Central to +0.9 point in the East North Central). The East South Central, Pacific, and South Atlantic divisions recorded the largest over-the-year unemployment rate changes (+1.3 percentage points each). Five of the remaining 6 divisions also registered statistically significant rate increases from a year earlier. Only the West South Central did not have a measurable rate change from May 2007.
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In May, Michigan continued to report the highest jobless rate, 8.5 percent, followed by Rhode Island, 7.2 percent, and Alaska, 7.0 percent. South Dakota and Wyoming again posted the lowest unemployment rates, 2.9 percent each. Overall, 10 states and the District of Columbia recorded significantly higher rates than the U.S., 22 states registered measurably lower rates, and 18 states had rates little different from that of the nation.
Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia reported statistically significant jobless rate increases from April to May. Michigan posted the largest of these increases (+1.6 percentage points), followed by Rhode Island (+1.1 points) and Illinois, Mississippi, and Tennessee (+1.0 point each). The remaining 14 states recorded May unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from those of a month earlier, even though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
Rhode Island registered the largest jobless rate increase from May 2007 (+2.2 percentage points). Sixteen other states reported rate increases of 1.0 percentage point or more. Twenty additional states and the District of Columbia had smaller, but also statistically significant, rate increases. Oklahoma continued to experience the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decrease (-1.0 percentage point). The only other state to post a significant rate decrease was Wisconsin (-0.5 point). The remaining 11 states recorded May 2008 jobless rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier.
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Between April and May 2008, only one state experienced a statistically significant change in employment. The statistically significant increase in employment occurred in Hawaii (+3,900).
Over the year, seven states recorded statistically significant changes in employment. The largest statistically significant employment gains were reported in Texas (+238,700), Washington (+35,000), Colorado (+33,800), Utah (+20,600), and Wyoming (+8,000). The statistically significant over-the-year employment declines were reported in Michigan (-68,900) and Rhode Island (-11,300). Only 1 state reported a statistically significant over-the-year employment increase that was less than 15,000: Wyoming (+8,000).
