21 states had significant unemployment rate declines from Feb. 2015 to Feb. 2016

From February 2015 to February 2016, 21 states had statistically significant unemployment rate declines. Among those, New Jersey had the largest decline (−2.0 percentage points). The only significant over-the-year rate increase was in Wyoming (1.2 percentage points). The remaining 28 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from a year earlier.

In February 2016, New Hampshire (2.7 percent) and South Dakota (2.7 percent) had the lowest jobless rates. Alaska had the highest unemployment rate (6.6 percent). The District of Columbia had an unemployment rate of 6.5 percent. In total, 18 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 4.9 percent, and 11 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates. Twenty-one states had rates that were not appreciably different from the national rate.

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. Data for February 2016 are preliminary and may be revised. The data are seasonally adjusted. For more information, see “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — February 2016” (HTML) (PDF).