Technical information: (202) 691-6392 USDL 09-0186
http://www.bls.gov/lau/
For release: 10:00 A.M. (EST)
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, February 27, 2009
REGIONAL AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT, 2008 ANNUAL AVERAGES
Annual average unemployment rates rose in 2008 in all 4 regions and
in 46 states and the District of Columbia, declined in 1 state, and
were unchanged in 3 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor reported today. Employment-population ratios
decreased in all 4 regions and in 45 states and the District of
Columbia, increased in 3 states, and were unchanged in 2 states. The
U.S. jobless rate climbed by 1.2 percentage points over the year to
5.8 percent, while the national employment-population ratio fell by
0.8 point to 62.2 percent. Most of the deterioration in the labor
market occurred late in the year.
Regional Unemployment
All four regions posted statistically significant unemployment rate
increases from 2007: the West (+1.5 percentage points), South (+1.2
points), and Midwest and Northeast (+1.0 point each). In 2008, the West
and Midwest registered jobless rates, 6.2 and 6.1 percent, respectively,
that were significantly higher than the U.S. rate (5.8 percent), while
the Northeast and South both had rates that were significantly below it,
5.4 and 5.5 percent, respectively. (See table 1.)
All nine geographic divisions reported statistically significant
over-the-year unemployment rate increases in 2008: the Pacific (+1.6
percentage points), South Atlantic (+1.5 points), Mountain (+1.3
points), East South Central (+1.2 points), East North Central (+1.1
points), Middle Atlantic (+1.0 point), New England (+0.9 point), West
North Central (+0.6 point), and West South Central (+0.5 point). The
Pacific registered the highest unemployment rate in 2008, 6.8 percent,
followed by the East North Central at 6.6 percent. The divisions
with the lowest jobless rates in 2008 were the West South Central at
4.8 percent, and West North Central at 4.9 percent. Five divisions
reported jobless rates that were significantly below the national rate
of 5.8 percent in 2008: the Middle Atlantic, Mountain, New England,
West North Central, and West South Central. Two divisions--the East
North Central and Pacific--recorded rates that were significantly
higher than the U.S. rate.
State Unemployment
In 2008, 39 states and the District of Columbia posted statistically
significant unemployment rate increases, while the remaining 11 states
recorded unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from
the previous year, even though some had changes that were at least as
large numerically as the significant changes. Rhode Island had the larg-
est jump in its jobless rate (+2.6 percentage points). Florida and
Nevada reported the next largest rate increases (+2.1 and +2.0 percent-
age points, respectively). Twenty-one additional states and the
District of Columbia recorded increases in their unemployment rates
of at least 1.0 percentage point. The remaining 15 states with signi-
ficant rate changes experienced increases ranging from +0.4 to +0.9
percentage point. (See table A.)
- 2 -
Michigan reported the highest unemployment rate, 8.4 percent in
2008, followed by Rhode Island and California, 7.8 and 7.2 percent,
respectively. The District of Columbia recorded an unemployment
rate of 7.0 percent in 2008. South Dakota posted the lowest job-
less rate among the states, 3.0 percent, followed closely by Wyoming
at 3.1 percent, and North Dakota at 3.2 percent. Twenty-six states
had unemployment rates that were significantly lower than the U.S.
rate of 5.8 percent, and 14 states and the District of Columbia re-
corded rates significantly above it. (See table B.)
Regional Employment-Population Ratios
In 2008, all four regions registered statistically significant de-
clines in their employment-population ratios--the proportion of the
civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and over with a job.
The Midwest experienced the largest over-the-year decrease in its em-
ployment-population ratio (-1.1 percentage points), followed by the
South (-0.9 point), West (-0.8 point), and Northeast (-0.4 point).
Despite the large decline in its employment-population ratio, the Mid-
west continued to report the highest proportion of employed persons,
63.8 percent, while the South, at 61.1 percent, and Northeast, at 61.8
percent, recorded the lowest proportions in 2008. The West posted an
employment-population ratio of 62.6 percent. The Midwest and West
both had ratios that were significantly higher than the national fig-
ure of 62.2 percent, and the South had an appreciably lower ratio.
(See table 2.)
Seven of the 9 divisions registered statistically significant de-
creases in their employment-population ratios in 2008. The East
North Central and East South Central reported the greatest declines
(-1.2 percentage points each), followed closely by the South Atlantic
(-1.1 points). Significant over-the-year decreases in employment-
population ratios also occurred in the Mountain and Pacific (-0.8 per-
centage point each) and New England and West North Central (-0.7 point
each). In 2008, the East South Central again recorded the lowest pro-
portion of employed persons (57.8 percent), with the Middle Atlantic
(61.0 percent), West South Central (61.7 percent), and Pacific and South
Atlantic (61.8 percent each) posting the next lowest ratios. The West
North Central again registered the highest employment-population ratio
(67.1 percent), followed by the Mountain (64.6 percent), New England
(64.1 percent), and East North Central (62.4 percent). Five of the 9
divisions reported statistically significant differences in their
ratios from that of the U.S.--the Mountain, New England, and West North
Central divisions recorded employment-population ratios that were mea-
surably higher, and the East South Central and Middle Atlantic divisions
had ratios that were significantly lower.
State Employment-Population Ratios
In 2008, 28 states registered statistically significant decreases
in the proportion of employed persons, while the remaining 22 states
and the District of Columbia did not have significant changes. Rhode
Island experienced the largest over-the-year decline (-2.2 percentage
points), followed by Idaho (-2.0 points). Fifteen other states re-
ported significant decreases in their employment-population ratios
from -1.0 to -1.9 percentage points, and the remaining 11 states had
significant declines from -0.4 to -0.9 point.
West Virginia and Mississippi again reported the lowest ratios
among the states (53.2 and 55.9 percent, respectively). Nine other
states had employment-population ratios in 2008 that were below 60.0
percent. Three states in the West North Central division again re-
corded the highest ratios: North Dakota (71.8 percent), Nebraska
(71.0 percent), and South Dakota (70.6 percent). Twenty states and
the District of Columbia registered employment-population ratios that
were significantly above the U.S. ratio of 62.2 percent, and 15 states
had ratios that were appreciably below it. The remaining 15 states
recorded ratios that were not measurably different from that of the
nation. (See tables C and D.)
- 3 -
Table A. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes,
2007-08 annual averages
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|------------------------| Over-the-year
State | | | rate change
| 2007 | 2008 |
--------------------------------|-----------|------------|---------------
| | |
Alabama .......................| 3.5 | 5.0 | 1.5
Arizona .......................| 3.8 | 5.5 | 1.7
California ....................| 5.4 | 7.2 | 1.8
Colorado ......................| 3.9 | 4.9 | 1.0
Connecticut ...................| 4.6 | 5.7 | 1.1
Delaware ......................| 3.4 | 4.8 | 1.4
District of Columbia ..........| 5.5 | 7.0 | 1.5
Florida .......................| 4.1 | 6.2 | 2.1
Georgia .......................| 4.6 | 6.2 | 1.6
Hawaii ........................| 2.6 | 3.9 | 1.3
| | |
Idaho .........................| 3.0 | 4.9 | 1.9
Illinois ......................| 5.1 | 6.5 | 1.4
Indiana .......................| 4.6 | 5.9 | 1.3
Iowa ..........................| 3.7 | 4.1 | .4
Kentucky ......................| 5.5 | 6.4 | .9
Louisiana .....................| 3.8 | 4.6 | .8
Maine .........................| 4.6 | 5.4 | .8
Maryland ......................| 3.5 | 4.4 | .9
Massachusetts .................| 4.5 | 5.3 | .8
Michigan ......................| 7.1 | 8.4 | 1.3
| | |
Minnesota .....................| 4.6 | 5.4 | .8
Missouri ......................| 5.1 | 6.1 | 1.0
Montana .......................| 3.4 | 4.5 | 1.1
Nebraska ......................| 2.9 | 3.3 | .4
Nevada ........................| 4.7 | 6.7 | 2.0
New Jersey ....................| 4.3 | 5.5 | 1.2
New Mexico ....................| 3.5 | 4.2 | .7
New York ......................| 4.5 | 5.4 | .9
North Carolina ................| 4.7 | 6.3 | 1.6
Ohio ..........................| 5.6 | 6.5 | .9
| | |
Oregon ........................| 5.1 | 6.4 | 1.3
Pennsylvania ..................| 4.4 | 5.4 | 1.0
Rhode Island ..................| 5.2 | 7.8 | 2.6
South Carolina ................| 5.6 | 6.9 | 1.3
Tennessee .....................| 4.8 | 6.4 | 1.6
Texas .........................| 4.4 | 4.9 | .5
Utah ..........................| 2.7 | 3.4 | .7
Vermont .......................| 4.0 | 4.8 | .8
Virginia ......................| 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.0
Washington ....................| 4.5 | 5.3 | .8
| | |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 4 -
Table B. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., 2008 annual averages
----------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate
----------------------------------------------------------------
|
United States ..................| 5.8
|
Alaska .........................| 6.7
Arkansas .......................| 5.1
California .....................| 7.2
Colorado .......................| 4.9
Delaware .......................| 4.8
District of Columbia ...........| 7.0
Florida ........................| 6.2
Hawaii .........................| 3.9
Idaho ..........................| 4.9
Illinois .......................| 6.5
|
Iowa ...........................| 4.1
Kansas .........................| 4.4
Kentucky .......................| 6.4
Louisiana ......................| 4.6
Maryland .......................| 4.4
Massachusetts ..................| 5.3
Michigan .......................| 8.4
Mississippi ....................| 6.9
Montana ........................| 4.5
Nebraska .......................| 3.3
|
Nevada .........................| 6.7
New Hampshire ..................| 3.8
New Mexico .....................| 4.2
New York .......................| 5.4
North Carolina .................| 6.3
North Dakota ...................| 3.2
Ohio ...........................| 6.5
Oklahoma .......................| 3.8
Oregon .........................| 6.4
Pennsylvania ...................| 5.4
|
Rhode Island ...................| 7.8
South Carolina .................| 6.9
South Dakota ...................| 3.0
Tennessee ......................| 6.4
Texas ..........................| 4.9
Utah ...........................| 3.4
Vermont ........................| 4.8
Virginia .......................| 4.0
West Virginia ..................| 4.3
Wisconsin ......................| 4.7
Wyoming ........................| 3.1
|
----------------------------------------------------------------
- 5 -
Table C. States with statistically significant employment-population
ratio changes, 2007-08 annual averages
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Ratio |
|-----------------------| Over-the-year
State | | | ratio change
| 2007 | 2008 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | |
Alabama ........................| 59.0 | 57.2 | -1.8
California .....................| 62.1 | 61.1 | -1.0
Colorado .......................| 69.8 | 68.7 | -1.1
Delaware .......................| 63.9 | 62.4 | -1.5
Florida ........................| 60.9 | 59.9 | -1.0
Georgia ........................| 64.7 | 63.1 | -1.6
Idaho ..........................| 65.5 | 63.5 | -2.0
Illinois .......................| 64.7 | 63.4 | -1.3
Indiana ........................| 63.6 | 62.4 | -1.2
Kentucky .......................| 58.9 | 57.9 | -1.0
| | |
Maryland .......................| 66.6 | 65.8 | -.8
Massachusetts ..................| 63.8 | 63.0 | -.8
Michigan .......................| 59.9 | 58.1 | -1.8
Minnesota ......................| 69.3 | 68.6 | -.7
Missouri .......................| 63.6 | 62.2 | -1.4
Montana ........................| 64.8 | 63.8 | -1.0
New Hampshire ..................| 68.6 | 68.0 | -.6
New Jersey .....................| 63.6 | 62.9 | -.7
North Carolina .................| 62.4 | 60.7 | -1.7
Ohio ...........................| 63.6 | 62.7 | -.9
| | |
Oregon .........................| 62.3 | 61.5 | -.8
Rhode Island ...................| 65.0 | 62.8 | -2.2
South Carolina .................| 59.6 | 58.4 | -1.2
Tennessee ......................| 60.4 | 59.2 | -1.2
Texas ..........................| 62.9 | 62.5 | -.4
Utah ...........................| 69.6 | 68.7 | -.9
Virginia .......................| 67.3 | 66.8 | -.5
Wisconsin ......................| 67.7 | 66.9 | -.8
| | |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 6 -
Table D. States with employment-population ratios significantly
different from that of the U.S., 2008 annual averages
----------------------------------------------------------------
State | Ratio
----------------------------------------------------------------
|
United States ...................| 62.2
|
Alabama .........................| 57.2
Alaska ..........................| 66.5
Arizona .........................| 60.7
Arkansas ........................| 59.7
California ......................| 61.1
Colorado ........................| 68.7
Connecticut .....................| 64.9
District of Columbia ............| 64.2
Florida .........................| 59.9
Illinois ........................| 63.4
|
Iowa ............................| 69.1
Kansas ..........................| 67.6
Kentucky ........................| 57.9
Louisiana .......................| 59.4
Maryland ........................| 65.8
Michigan ........................| 58.1
Minnesota .......................| 68.6
Mississippi .....................| 55.9
Montana .........................| 63.8
Nebraska ........................| 71.0
|
Nevada ..........................| 65.0
New Hampshire ...................| 68.0
New Mexico ......................| 61.0
New York ........................| 59.6
North Carolina ..................| 60.7
North Dakota ....................| 71.8
South Carolina ..................| 58.4
South Dakota ....................| 70.6
Tennessee .......................| 59.2
Utah ............................| 68.7
|
Vermont .........................| 67.2
Virginia ........................| 66.8
Washington ......................| 64.7
West Virginia ...................| 53.2
Wisconsin .......................| 66.9
Wyoming .........................| 69.2
|
---------------------------------------------------------------
