For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Friday, February 25, 2011 USDL-11-0239
Technical information: (202) 691-6392 * lausinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/lau
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
REGIONAL AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT -- 2010 ANNUAL AVERAGES
Annual average unemployment rates in 2010 rose in 31 states and the District
of Columbia, declined in 18 states, and remained the same in 1 state, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios
decreased in 43 states and the District of Columbia, increased in 3 states,
and were unchanged in 4 states. Jobless rates increased in three regions and
decreased in one, and employment-population ratios declined in all four
regions in 2010. The U.S. jobless rate rose by 0.3 percentage point from the
prior year to 9.6 percent, while the national employment-population ratio
fell by 0.8 point to 58.5 percent.
Regional Unemployment
Three of the 4 regions posted statistically significant unemployment rate
changes from 2009, all of which were increases. The West experienced the
largest rise (+0.9 percentage point), followed by the South (+0.4 point)
and Northeast (+0.3 point). The West, at 11.1 percent, also registered
the only jobless rate significantly above that of the U.S., 9.6 percent
in 2010. The Northeast and South, at 8.7 and 9.3 percent, respectively,
both had rates significantly below the national figure. The rates in the
West and South set new annual series highs in 2010. (All region, division,
and state series begin in 1976.) (See table 1.)
Five of the 9 geographic divisions also reported statistically significant
over-the-year unemployment rate increases in 2010: the Mountain (+0.9 per-
centage point), Pacific (+0.8 point), West South Central (+0.7 point),
South Atlantic (+0.5 point), and Middle Atlantic (+0.4 point). The four
remaining divisions registered jobless rates that were not significantly
different from those of a year earlier. The Pacific division posted the highest
unemployment rate, 11.7 percent. The divisions with the next highest rates
were the East North Central, 10.4 percent, and the East South Central, 10.0
percent. The rates for the Pacific and East North Central divisions were
significantly above the U.S. rate, as was the rate in the South Atlantic,
9.9 percent. The rates in the Pacific and South Atlantic set new series
highs, as did the 9.7 percent rate in the Mountain division. The division
with the lowest unemployment rate was the West North Central, 7.3 percent.
Three other divisions--the Middle Atlantic, New England, and West South
Central--also recorded rates significantly lower than the U.S. rate.
State Unemployment
Twenty-two states reported statistically significant unemployment rate
changes from 2009 to 2010, 18 of which were increases and 4 of which
were decreases. Of those increases, six were greater than 1.0 percentage
point: Nevada (+2.4 points), Idaho (+1.6 points), New Mexico and West
Virginia (+1.4 points each), Florida (+1.3 points), and California
(+1.1 points). Michigan and Minnesota recorded the largest rate declines
over the year (-0.8 percentage point each), closely followed by Tennessee
and Vermont (-0.7 point each); all four changes were significant. Twenty-
eight states and the District of Columbia reported annual average unem-
ployment rates for 2010 that were not appreciably different from those of
the previous year, even though some had changes that were at least as
large numerically as the statistically significant changes. (See table A.)
In 2010, 15 states reported unemployment rates of 10.0 percent or more.
Nevada recorded the highest rate, 14.9 percent, followed by Michigan,
12.5 percent, and California, 12.4 percent. (This was the first time
since 2005 that Michigan did not post the highest unemployment rate
among the states.) North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless
rate among the states, 3.9 percent in 2010. The states with the next
lowest rates were Nebraska and South Dakota, at 4.7 and 4.8 percent,
respectively. Twenty-seven states had unemployment rates that were
significantly lower than the U.S. rate of 9.6 percent, and 10 states
recorded rates significantly above it. Eight states reported the
highest jobless rates in their annual series: California, 12.4 percent;
Colorado, 8.9 percent; Delaware, 8.5 percent; Florida, 11.5 percent;
Georgia, 10.2 percent; Idaho, 9.3 percent; Nevada, 14.9 percent; and
Rhode Island, 11.6 percent. (See table B.)
Regional Employment-Population Ratios
In 2010 all four regions registered statistically significant
deterioration in their employment-population ratios--the proportion of
the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over with
a job. The West experienced the largest over-the-year decrease in its
employment-population ratio (-1.4 percentage points), followed by the
South (-0.8 point), Northeast (-0.7 point), and Midwest (-0.4 point).
The Midwest continued to report the highest ratio, 60.3 percent, while
the South, at 57.5 percent, maintained the lowest. The South and West
posted employment-population ratios that were significantly lower than
the national figure of 58.5 percent, and the Midwest recorded a
significantly higher ratio. (See table 2.)
Six of the 9 divisions registered statistically significant changes in
their employment-population ratios in 2010, all of which were decreases.
The Mountain experienced the greatest drop (-1.5 percentage points),
followed by the Pacific and South Atlantic (-1.3 and -1.2 points, re-
spectively). In 2010 the East South Central again recorded the lowest
proportion of employed persons, 54.7 percent. The next lowest ratios
were posted in the Pacific, 57.2 percent, and South Atlantic, 57.3
percent. Ratios in all three of these divisions were significantly below
the national average. The divisions with the highest employment-popu-
lation ratios were the West North Central, 64.4 percent, and New England,
61.7 percent. These two divisions, along with the Mountain, 59.5 percent,
and West South Central, 59.4 percent, registered employment-population
ratios measurably above that of the U.S. The remaining two divisions had
ratios that were not significantly different from the national average.
State Employment-Population Ratios
In 2010, 32 states and the District of Columbia registered statistically
significant decreases in their proportions of employed persons, while
18 states had proportions that were not significantly different from
those of a year earlier. Four states reported declines of 2.0 percentage
points or more: Colorado (-2.4 points), Utah (-2.3 points), Nevada
(-2.2 points), and Delaware (-2.1 points). Twelve other states and the
District of Columbia recorded decreases in their employment-population
ratios ranging from -1.0 to -1.9 percentage points. (See table C.)
West Virginia again reported the lowest employment-population ratio among
the states, 48.8 percent, which it has done for 35 consecutive years.
Three states in the West North Central division again posted the highest
ratios: North Dakota, 69.8 percent, Nebraska, 67.7 percent, and South
Dakota, 67.6 percent. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia
recorded employment-population ratios that were significantly above the
U.S. ratio of 58.5 percent, and 18 states had ratios that were appre-
ciably below it. The remaining nine states reported ratios that were not
measurably different from that of the nation. Nine states registered the
lowest employment-population ratios in their series in 2010: California,
56.3 percent; Colorado, 62.8 percent; Delaware, 56.2 percent; Georgia,
57.0 percent; Hawaii, 59.4 percent; Kentucky, 55.6 percent; Nevada, 57.0
percent; North Carolina, 56.1 percent; and South Carolina, 54.5 percent.
(See table D.)
_________________
The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for
January 2011 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, March 10, 2011,
at 10:00 a.m. (EST). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment
news release for January 2011 is scheduled to be released on Friday,
March 18, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
Table A. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes,
2009-10 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-------------------------| Over-the-year
State | | | rate change
| 2009 | 2010 |
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
California .....................| 11.3 | 12.4 | 1.1
Colorado .......................| 8.3 | 8.9 | .6
Connecticut ....................| 8.3 | 9.1 | .8
Delaware .......................| 8.0 | 8.5 | .5
Florida ........................| 10.2 | 11.5 | 1.3
Georgia ........................| 9.7 | 10.2 | .5
Idaho ..........................| 7.7 | 9.3 | 1.6
Iowa ...........................| 5.6 | 6.1 | .5
Louisiana ......................| 6.6 | 7.5 | .9
Maryland .......................| 7.1 | 7.5 | .4
| | |
Michigan .......................| 13.3 | 12.5 | -.8
Minnesota ......................| 8.1 | 7.3 | -.8
Montana ........................| 6.3 | 7.2 | .9
Nevada .........................| 12.5 | 14.9 | 2.4
New Mexico .....................| 7.0 | 8.4 | 1.4
Pennsylvania ...................| 8.0 | 8.7 | .7
Rhode Island ...................| 10.8 | 11.6 | .8
Tennessee ......................| 10.4 | 9.7 | -.7
Texas ..........................| 7.6 | 8.2 | .6
Utah ...........................| 7.1 | 7.7 | .6
Vermont ........................| 6.9 | 6.2 | -.7
West Virginia ..................| 7.7 | 9.1 | 1.4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table B. States with unemployment rates significantly different from that
of the U.S., 2010 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................| 9.6
|
Alaska ..............................| 8.0
Arkansas ............................| 7.9
California ..........................| 12.4
Colorado ............................| 8.9
Delaware ............................| 8.5
Florida .............................| 11.5
Hawaii ..............................| 6.6
Illinois ............................| 10.3
Iowa ................................| 6.1
Kansas ..............................| 7.0
|
Kentucky ............................| 10.5
Louisiana ...........................| 7.5
Maine ...............................| 7.9
Maryland ............................| 7.5
Massachusetts .......................| 8.5
Michigan ............................| 12.5
Minnesota ...........................| 7.3
Montana .............................| 7.2
Nebraska ............................| 4.7
Nevada ..............................| 14.9
|
New Hampshire .......................| 6.1
New Mexico ..........................| 8.4
New York ............................| 8.6
North Carolina ......................| 10.6
North Dakota ........................| 3.9
Oklahoma ............................| 7.1
Oregon ..............................| 10.8
Pennsylvania ........................| 8.7
Rhode Island ........................| 11.6
South Carolina ......................| 11.2
|
South Dakota ........................| 4.8
Texas ...............................| 8.2
Utah ................................| 7.7
Vermont .............................| 6.2
Virginia ............................| 6.9
Wisconsin ...........................| 8.3
Wyoming .............................| 7.0
--------------------------------------------------------------
Table C. States with statistically significant employment-population
ratio changes, 2009-10 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Ratio |
|-------------------------| Over-the-year
State | | | ratio change
| 2009 | 2010 |
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
Alabama ........................| 54.1 | 52.8 | -1.3
Arizona ........................| 57.6 | 56.9 | -.7
California .....................| 57.8 | 56.3 | -1.5
Colorado .......................| 65.2 | 62.8 | -2.4
Connecticut ....................| 63.0 | 62.3 | -.7
Delaware .......................| 58.3 | 56.2 | -2.1
District of Columbia ...........| 61.7 | 60.6 | -1.1
Florida ........................| 56.3 | 55.4 | -.9
Georgia ........................| 58.9 | 57.0 | -1.9
Idaho ..........................| 60.3 | 59.1 | -1.2
| | |
Indiana ........................| 58.1 | 57.2 | -.9
Kansas .........................| 65.8 | 65.1 | -.7
Maryland .......................| 63.4 | 62.1 | -1.3
Missouri .......................| 60.0 | 58.7 | -1.3
Montana ........................| 60.6 | 59.7 | -.9
Nebraska .......................| 68.5 | 67.7 | -.8
Nevada .........................| 59.2 | 57.0 | -2.2
New Jersey .....................| 60.8 | 59.8 | -1.0
New Mexico .....................| 57.8 | 56.9 | -.9
New York .......................| 57.7 | 57.1 | -.6
| | |
North Carolina .................| 57.1 | 56.1 | -1.0
Ohio ...........................| 59.6 | 59.1 | -.5
Oklahoma .......................| 59.0 | 58.2 | -.8
Pennsylvania ...................| 59.1 | 58.0 | -1.1
South Carolina .................| 55.2 | 54.5 | -.7
South Dakota ...................| 68.3 | 67.6 | -.7
Texas ..........................| 60.8 | 60.5 | -.3
Utah ...........................| 65.2 | 62.9 | -2.3
Virginia .......................| 64.9 | 64.1 | -.8
Washington .....................| 62.0 | 60.8 | -1.2
| | |
West Virginia ..................| 50.6 | 48.8 | -1.8
Wisconsin ......................| 64.1 | 63.2 | -.9
Wyoming ........................| 66.4 | 64.8 | -1.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table D. States with employment-population ratios significantly
different from that of the U.S., 2010 annual averages
----------------------------------------------------------------
State | Ratio
----------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................| 58.5
|
Alabama .............................| 52.8
Alaska ..............................| 64.2
Arizona .............................| 56.9
Arkansas ............................| 56.1
California ..........................| 56.3
Colorado ............................| 62.8
Connecticut .........................| 62.3
Delaware ............................| 56.2
District of Columbia ................| 60.6
Florida .............................| 55.4
|
Georgia .............................| 57.0
Illinois ............................| 60.0
Iowa ................................| 66.8
Kansas ..............................| 65.1
Kentucky ............................| 55.6
Louisiana ...........................| 56.3
Maine ...............................| 60.2
Maryland ............................| 62.1
Massachusetts .......................| 60.5
Michigan ............................| 53.9
|
Minnesota ...........................| 66.8
Mississippi .........................| 53.2
Nebraska ............................| 67.7
Nevada ..............................| 57.0
New Hampshire .......................| 65.8
New Jersey ..........................| 59.8
New Mexico ..........................| 56.9
New York ............................| 57.1
North Carolina ......................| 56.1
North Dakota ........................| 69.8
|
Rhode Island ........................| 60.2
South Carolina ......................| 54.5
South Dakota ........................| 67.6
Tennessee ...........................| 56.2
Texas ...............................| 60.5
Utah ................................| 62.9
Vermont .............................| 66.3
Virginia ............................| 64.1
Washington ..........................| 60.8
West Virginia .......................| 48.8
Wisconsin ...........................| 63.2
Wyoming .............................| 64.8
----------------------------------------------------------------
Technical Note
This release presents labor force and unemployment data for census
regions and divisions and states from the Local Area Unemployment
Statistics (LAUS) program. The LAUS program is a federal-state
cooperative endeavor.
Concepts
Definitions. The labor force and unemployment data are based on
the same concepts and definitions as those used for the official
national estimates obtained from the Current Population Survey
(CPS), a sample survey of households that is conducted for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census Bureau. The
LAUS program measures employment and unemployment on a place-of-
residence basis. The universe for each is the civilian noninstitu-
tional population 16 years of age and over. Employed persons are
those who did any work at all for pay or profit in the reference
week (the week including the 12th of the month) or worked 15 hours
or more without pay in a family business or farm, plus those not
working who had a job from which they were temporarily absent,
whether or not paid, for such reasons as labor-management dispute,
illness, or vacation. Unemployed persons are those who were not
employed during the reference week (based on the definition above),
had actively looked for a job sometime in the 4-week period ending
with the reference week, and were currently available for work; per-
sons on layoff expecting recall need not be looking for work to be
counted as unemployed. The labor force is the sum of employed and
unemployed persons. The unemployment rate is the number of unem-
ployed expressed as a percent of the labor force. The employment-
population ratio is the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional
population 16 years of age and over that is employed.
Method of estimation. Estimates for 48 of the 50 states, the Dis-
trict of Columbia, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metropolitan
division, New York City, and the balances of California and New York
State are produced using estimating equations based on regression
techniques. This method, which underwent substantial enhancement at
the beginning of 2005, utilizes data from several sources, including
the CPS, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey of nonfarm
payroll employment, and state unemployment insurance (UI) programs.
Estimates for the State of California are derived by summing the
estimates for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metropolitan divi-
sion and the balance of California. Similarly, estimates for New
York State are derived by summing the estimates for New York City
and the balance of New York State. Estimates for all nine census
divisions are based on a similar regression approach that does not
incorporate CES or UI data. Estimates for census regions are ob-
tained by summing the model-based estimates for the component divi-
sions and then calculating the unemployment rate. Each month, cen-
sus division estimates are controlled to national totals; state es-
timates are then controlled to their respective division totals. Es-
timates for Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey
similar to the CPS. A detailed description of the estimation proce-
dures is available from BLS upon request.
Annual revisions. Labor force and unemployment data for prior years
reflect adjustments made at the end of each year. The adjusted esti-
mates reflect updated population data from the U.S. Census Bureau,
any revisions in the other data sources, and model reestimation. In
most years, historical data for the most recent 5 years (both season-
ally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted) are revised near the be-
ginning of each calendar year, prior to the release of January esti-
mates. Though the labor force estimates are changed for only 5 years,
the population estimates--and, thus, employment-population ratios--are
adjusted back to the decennial estimates base, currently April 2000.
Reliability of the estimates
The estimates presented in this release are based on sample surveys,
administrative data, and modeling and, thus, are subject to sampling
and other types of errors. Sampling error is a measure of sampling
variability--that is, variation that occurs by chance because a sample
rather than the entire population is surveyed. Survey data also are
subject to nonsampling errors, such as those which can be introduc-
ed into the data collection and processing operations. Estimates not
directly derived from sample surveys are subject to additional errors
resulting from the specific estimation processes used. In table 1, le-
vel estimates for states may not sum to level estimates for regions
and divisions because of rounding. Unemployment rates and employment-
population ratios are computed from unrounded levels and thus may dif-
fer slightly from rates and ratios computed using the rounded level
estimates displayed in table 1.
Use of error measures. In 2005, the LAUS program introduced several
improvements to its methodology. Among these was the development of
model-based error measures for the monthly estimates and the estimates
of over-the-month changes. Annual average model-based error measures
became available for the first time after 2006. The introductory sec-
tion of this release preserves the long-time practice of highlighting
the direction of the movements in regional and state unemployment rates
and employment-population ratios regardless of their statistical signi-
ficance. The remainder of the analysis in the release--other than his-
torical highs and lows--takes statistical significance into considera-
tion. Model-based error measures are available online at
www.bls.gov/lau/lastderr.htm. BLS uses 90-percent confidence levels in
determining whether changes in LAUS unemployment rates or
employment-population ratios are statistically significant. The average
magnitude of the over-the-year change in an annual state unemployment
rate that is required in order to be statistically significant at the
90-percent confidence level is about 0.5 percentage point. The average
magnitude of the over-the-year change in an annual state
employment-population ratio that is required in order to be statistically
significant at the 90-percent confidence level is about 0.6 percentage point.
More details can be found on the Web site. Measures of nonsampling error
are not available, but additional information on the subject is pro-
vided in Employment & Earnings Online, available on the BLS Web site
at www.bls.gov/opub/ee/home.htm.
Additional information
More complete information on the technical procedures used to develop
these estimates and additional data appear in Employment & Earnings
Online.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay
Service: (800) 877-8339.
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,
2009-10 annual averages
(Numbers in thousands)
Population Civilian labor Employed Unemployed Unemployment
force rate Error range of
Region, division, and state rate, 2010 (1)
2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010
United States............. 235,801 237,830 154,142 153,889 139,877 139,064 14,265 14,825 9.3 9.6 9.5 - 9.7
Northeast...................... 43,515 43,762 28,321 28,243 25,950 25,784 2,370 2,459 8.4 8.7 8.5 - 8.9
New England................. 11,455 11,532 7,733 7,770 7,100 7,109 633 660 8.2 8.5 8.2 - 8.8
Connecticut.............. 2,747 2,765 1,887 1,897 1,730 1,724 157 173 8.3 9.1 8.6 - 9.7
Maine.................... 1,065 1,066 698 697 641 642 57 55 8.2 7.9 7.4 - 8.5
Massachusetts............ 5,237 5,282 3,477 3,494 3,190 3,197 286 297 8.2 8.5 7.9 - 9.1
New Hampshire............ 1,057 1,063 745 744 698 699 47 45 6.3 6.1 5.7 - 6.4
Rhode Island............. 842 845 566 576 505 509 61 67 10.8 11.6 10.9 - 12.3
Vermont.................. 507 510 360 361 335 338 25 22 6.9 6.2 5.8 - 6.7
Middle Atlantic............. 32,060 32,230 20,587 20,473 18,850 18,675 1,737 1,799 8.4 8.8 8.5 - 9.1
New Jersey............... 6,766 6,812 4,527 4,502 4,116 4,077 410 426 9.1 9.5 8.9 - 10.0
New York................. 15,354 15,431 9,678 9,631 8,864 8,807 813 824 8.4 8.6 8.2 - 8.9
Pennsylvania............. 9,939 9,987 6,383 6,340 5,870 5,791 514 549 8.0 8.7 8.2 - 9.1
Midwest........................ 51,568 51,830 34,637 34,480 31,317 31,237 3,319 3,243 9.6 9.4 9.2 - 9.6
East North Central.......... 35,927 36,072 23,667 23,538 21,155 21,091 2,513 2,448 10.6 10.4 10.1 - 10.7
Illinois................. 9,877 9,936 6,588 6,646 5,928 5,965 660 681 10.0 10.3 9.7 - 10.8
Indiana.................. 4,907 4,939 3,184 3,142 2,852 2,823 332 320 10.4 10.2 9.4 - 10.9
Michigan................. 7,772 7,780 4,859 4,790 4,211 4,193 648 597 13.3 12.5 11.8 - 13.1
Ohio..................... 8,954 8,976 5,936 5,898 5,335 5,303 601 595 10.1 10.1 9.5 - 10.7
Wisconsin................ 4,417 4,440 3,101 3,063 2,829 2,807 271 255 8.7 8.3 7.8 - 8.9
West North Central.......... 15,640 15,759 10,969 10,942 10,163 10,146 806 796 7.4 7.3 7.0 - 7.5
Iowa..................... 2,334 2,348 1,665 1,671 1,572 1,568 94 103 5.6 6.1 5.7 - 6.6
Kansas................... 2,129 2,146 1,508 1,502 1,402 1,397 107 106 7.1 7.0 6.5 - 7.6
Minnesota................ 4,083 4,112 2,951 2,963 2,712 2,746 238 217 8.1 7.3 6.9 - 7.8
Missouri................. 4,610 4,642 3,051 3,014 2,768 2,726 283 289 9.3 9.6 8.8 - 10.3
Nebraska................. 1,363 1,375 981 977 934 931 47 45 4.8 4.7 4.2 - 5.1
North Dakota............. 504 510 369 370 353 356 16 15 4.3 3.9 3.5 - 4.4
South Dakota............. 618 625 444 444 422 423 22 21 5.0 4.8 4.5 - 5.2
South.......................... 85,998 87,017 55,051 55,210 50,166 50,060 4,885 5,150 8.9 9.3 9.2 - 9.5
South Atlantic.............. 45,522 46,029 29,378 29,303 26,621 26,388 2,758 2,915 9.4 9.9 9.7 - 10.2
Delaware................. 686 693 435 426 400 390 35 36 8.0 8.5 7.9 - 9.1
District of Columbia..... 486 496 332 334 300 301 32 33 9.6 9.9 9.2 - 10.6
Florida.................. 14,589 14,736 9,139 9,224 8,209 8,159 930 1,065 10.2 11.5 11.1 - 12.0
Georgia.................. 7,301 7,396 4,766 4,694 4,302 4,214 464 480 9.7 10.2 9.6 - 10.8
Maryland................. 4,397 4,443 3,001 2,981 2,786 2,758 215 223 7.1 7.5 7.1 - 7.9
North Carolina........... 7,118 7,200 4,555 4,513 4,065 4,036 490 476 10.8 10.6 10.0 - 11.1
South Carolina........... 3,490 3,530 2,175 2,165 1,928 1,923 247 242 11.3 11.2 10.4 - 12.0
Virginia................. 6,001 6,077 4,180 4,185 3,895 3,896 284 289 6.8 6.9 6.4 - 7.4
West Virginia............ 1,453 1,458 797 782 735 711 62 71 7.7 9.1 8.2 - 10.0
East South Central.......... 14,019 14,125 8,597 8,581 7,722 7,727 875 855 10.2 10.0 9.5 - 10.4
Alabama.................. 3,621 3,646 2,171 2,127 1,960 1,925 211 202 9.7 9.5 8.3 - 10.7
Kentucky................. 3,329 3,354 2,079 2,084 1,858 1,866 222 218 10.7 10.5 9.7 - 11.3
Mississippi.............. 2,200 2,211 1,296 1,313 1,171 1,176 125 137 9.6 10.4 9.5 - 11.4
Tennessee................ 4,868 4,913 3,052 3,057 2,734 2,759 317 297 10.4 9.7 9.0 - 10.4
West South Central.......... 26,458 26,863 17,076 17,326 15,823 15,946 1,253 1,380 7.3 8.0 7.7 - 8.3
Arkansas................. 2,204 2,221 1,356 1,353 1,256 1,247 100 107 7.4 7.9 7.1 - 8.6
Louisiana................ 3,389 3,420 2,060 2,082 1,924 1,926 136 155 6.6 7.5 6.6 - 8.3
Oklahoma................. 2,774 2,802 1,753 1,755 1,637 1,631 116 124 6.6 7.1 6.5 - 7.7
Texas.................... 18,091 18,419 11,907 12,136 11,006 11,142 900 994 7.6 8.2 7.8 - 8.6
West........................... 54,236 54,927 35,817 35,767 32,161 31,812 3,656 3,955 10.2 11.1 10.8 - 11.3
Mountain.................... 16,613 16,841 11,108 11,084 10,135 10,014 973 1,070 8.8 9.7 9.3 - 10.0
Arizona.................. 4,951 5,027 3,157 3,176 2,851 2,860 306 316 9.7 10.0 9.2 - 10.7
Colorado................. 3,838 3,899 2,728 2,687 2,502 2,448 226 240 8.3 8.9 8.4 - 9.5
Idaho.................... 1,150 1,163 751 758 693 687 58 71 7.7 9.3 8.5 - 10.2
Montana.................. 767 773 496 497 465 461 31 36 6.3 7.2 6.5 - 8.0
Nevada................... 2,000 2,015 1,354 1,350 1,184 1,150 170 201 12.5 14.9 14.0 - 15.7
New Mexico............... 1,516 1,535 942 953 876 873 66 80 7.0 8.4 7.6 - 9.2
Utah..................... 1,972 2,007 1,383 1,368 1,285 1,262 98 106 7.1 7.7 7.1 - 8.3
Wyoming.................. 418 422 297 294 278 273 19 20 6.5 7.0 6.4 - 7.5
Pacific..................... 37,622 38,086 24,709 24,683 22,026 21,798 2,683 2,885 10.9 11.7 11.4 - 12.0
Alaska................... 512 518 359 361 331 332 28 29 7.8 8.0 7.2 - 8.8
California............... 27,947 28,293 18,204 18,176 16,142 15,916 2,063 2,260 11.3 12.4 12.1 - 12.8
Hawaii................... 982 989 632 629 589 587 43 42 6.8 6.6 6.0 - 7.2
Oregon................... 3,008 3,039 1,980 1,985 1,760 1,770 221 215 11.1 10.8 10.2 - 11.5
Washington............... 5,174 5,247 3,534 3,532 3,206 3,192 329 340 9.3 9.6 9.0 - 10.2
Puerto Rico.................... 3,070 3,100 1,326 1,297 1,127 1,089 199 209 15.0 16.1 NA
1 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded data.
NA = Data not available.
NOTE: Data refer to place of residence. Unemployment rates are in percent and are based on unrounded levels. Data for subnational
areas reflect revised population controls and model reestimation. As a result, they will not add to U.S. totals. Data for Puerto Rico
are derived from a monthly household survey similar to the Current Population Survey.
Table 2. Employment-population ratios of persons 16 years of age and over by region, division,
and state, 2009-10 annual averages
(Percent)
Employment-population
ratio (1) Over-the- Error range of
Region, division, and state year ratio,
change 2010 (2)
2009 2010
United States............. 59.3 58.5 -0.8 58.3 - 58.7
Northeast...................... 59.6 58.9 -.7 58.5 - 59.4
New England................. 62.0 61.7 -.3 60.9 - 62.4
Connecticut.............. 63.0 62.3 -.7 61.2 - 63.5
Maine.................... 60.2 60.2 .0 59.0 - 61.4
Massachusetts............ 60.9 60.5 -.4 59.4 - 61.6
New Hampshire............ 66.0 65.8 -.2 64.8 - 66.8
Rhode Island............. 60.0 60.2 .2 59.1 - 61.4
Vermont.................. 66.1 66.3 .2 65.2 - 67.5
Middle Atlantic............. 58.8 57.9 -.9 57.4 - 58.5
New Jersey............... 60.8 59.8 -1.0 58.9 - 60.8
New York................. 57.7 57.1 -.6 56.4 - 57.7
Pennsylvania............. 59.1 58.0 -1.1 57.2 - 58.8
Midwest........................ 60.7 60.3 -.4 59.9 - 60.7
East North Central.......... 58.9 58.5 -.4 58.0 - 59.0
Illinois................. 60.0 60.0 .0 59.1 - 61.0
Indiana.................. 58.1 57.2 -.9 55.7 - 58.6
Michigan................. 54.2 53.9 -.3 52.9 - 54.9
Ohio..................... 59.6 59.1 -.5 58.2 - 59.9
Wisconsin................ 64.1 63.2 -.9 61.9 - 64.6
West North Central.......... 65.0 64.4 -.6 63.8 - 65.0
Iowa..................... 67.4 66.8 -.6 65.7 - 67.9
Kansas................... 65.8 65.1 -.7 63.9 - 66.2
Minnesota................ 66.4 66.8 .4 65.6 - 67.9
Missouri................. 60.0 58.7 -1.3 57.4 - 60.1
Nebraska................. 68.5 67.7 -.8 66.6 - 68.8
North Dakota............. 70.1 69.8 -.3 68.1 - 71.4
South Dakota............. 68.3 67.6 -.7 66.4 - 68.8
South.......................... 58.3 57.5 -.8 57.2 - 57.9
South Atlantic.............. 58.5 57.3 -1.2 56.9 - 57.8
Delaware................. 58.3 56.2 -2.1 55.1 - 57.3
District of Columbia..... 61.7 60.6 -1.1 59.4 - 61.8
Florida.................. 56.3 55.4 -.9 54.5 - 56.3
Georgia.................. 58.9 57.0 -1.9 56.0 - 57.9
Maryland................. 63.4 62.1 -1.3 61.2 - 63.0
North Carolina........... 57.1 56.1 -1.0 55.0 - 57.1
South Carolina........... 55.2 54.5 -.7 53.5 - 55.5
Virginia................. 64.9 64.1 -.8 63.3 - 65.0
West Virginia............ 50.6 48.8 -1.8 47.1 - 50.4
East South Central.......... 55.1 54.7 -.4 53.9 - 55.5
Alabama.................. 54.1 52.8 -1.3 51.1 - 54.5
Kentucky................. 55.8 55.6 -.2 54.3 - 56.9
Mississippi.............. 53.2 53.2 .0 51.7 - 54.7
Tennessee................ 56.2 56.2 .0 55.0 - 57.3
West South Central.......... 59.8 59.4 -.4 58.8 - 60.0
Arkansas................. 57.0 56.1 -.9 54.9 - 57.3
Louisiana................ 56.8 56.3 -.5 54.7 - 57.9
Oklahoma................. 59.0 58.2 -.8 56.9 - 59.5
Texas.................... 60.8 60.5 -.3 59.8 - 61.2
West........................... 59.3 57.9 -1.4 57.6 - 58.3
Mountain.................... 61.0 59.5 -1.5 58.8 - 60.1
Arizona.................. 57.6 56.9 -.7 55.4 - 58.4
Colorado................. 65.2 62.8 -2.4 61.3 - 64.3
Idaho.................... 60.3 59.1 -1.2 57.7 - 60.5
Montana.................. 60.6 59.7 -.9 58.3 - 61.1
Nevada................... 59.2 57.0 -2.2 55.9 - 58.2
New Mexico............... 57.8 56.9 -.9 55.8 - 57.9
Utah..................... 65.2 62.9 -2.3 61.3 - 64.4
Wyoming.................. 66.4 64.8 -1.6 63.5 - 66.1
Pacific..................... 58.5 57.2 -1.3 56.8 - 57.7
Alaska................... 64.6 64.2 -.4 62.4 - 65.9
California............... 57.8 56.3 -1.5 55.8 - 56.7
Hawaii................... 60.0 59.4 -.6 58.1 - 60.7
Oregon................... 58.5 58.2 -.3 57.2 - 59.2
Washington............... 62.0 60.8 -1.2 59.8 - 61.8
Puerto Rico.................... 36.7 35.1 -1.6 NA
1 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age
and over.
2 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded
data.
NA = Data not available.
NOTE: Data refer to place of residence. Employment-population ratios are based on
unrounded levels. Data for subnational areas reflect revised population controls and model
reestimation. Data for Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to
the Current Population Survey.
United States Department of Labor
