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Unemployment rates down in 11 states from August 2017 to August 2018
September 27, 2018
Over the year ended in August 2018, 11 states had statistically significant unemployment rate changes, all of which were decreases. The largest decline occurred in New Mexico, where the jobless rate decreased from 6.0 percent to 4.6 percent, a change of −1.4 percentage points.
Unemployment rate and 12-month change in unemployment rate, by state, August 2018, seasonally adjusted
State
Unemployment rate, August 2018
Over-the-year change
Statistically significant
Alabama
4.1%
0.1 percentage point
No
Alaska
6.7
-0.5
Yes
Arizona
4.6
-0.1
No
Arkansas
3.6
-0.1
No
California
4.2
-0.4
Yes
Colorado
2.9
0.0
No
Connecticut
4.3
-0.2
No
Delaware
3.9
-0.7
Yes
District of Columbia
5.6
-0.5
No
Florida
3.7
-0.3
No
Georgia
3.8
-0.7
Yes
Hawaii
2.1
-0.1
No
Idaho
2.8
-0.3
No
Illinois
4.1
-0.9
Yes
Indiana
3.5
-0.1
No
Iowa
2.5
-0.5
Yes
Kansas
3.3
-0.3
No
Kentucky
4.4
-0.5
No
Louisiana
5.0
0.1
No
Maine
3.2
-0.2
No
Maryland
4.2
0.2
No
Massachusetts
3.6
0.0
No
Michigan
4.1
-0.5
No
Minnesota
2.9
-0.5
No
Mississippi
4.8
-0.2
No
Missouri
3.3
-0.3
No
Montana
3.6
-0.5
No
Nebraska
2.8
-0.1
No
Nevada
4.5
-0.4
No
New Hampshire
2.7
0.0
No
New Jersey
4.2
-0.5
No
New Mexico
4.6
-1.4
Yes
New York
4.2
-0.5
Yes
North Carolina
3.9
-0.5
No
North Dakota
2.6
0.0
No
Ohio
4.6
-0.4
No
Oklahoma
3.7
-0.5
No
Oregon
3.8
-0.4
No
Pennsylvania
4.1
-0.7
Yes
Rhode Island
4.0
-0.4
No
South Carolina
3.4
-0.8
Yes
South Dakota
3.0
-0.4
No
Tennessee
3.6
0.2
No
Texas
3.9
-0.1
No
Utah
3.1
-0.1
No
Vermont
2.8
-0.2
No
Virginia
3.0
-0.7
Yes
Washington
4.5
-0.3
No
West Virginia
5.3
0.1
No
Wisconsin
3.0
-0.3
No
Wyoming
3.9
-0.2
No
Note: Data for the most recent month are preliminary.
In August 2018, Illinois, South Carolina, Delaware, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia were the only other states that had 12-month unemployment rate decreases of −0.7 percentage point or more. Unemployment rates in these states ranged from 3.0 percent in Virginia to 4.1 percent in Illinois and Pennsylvania.
In August 2018, Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent. The rates in Idaho (2.8 percent), Oregon (3.8 percent), South Carolina (3.4 percent), and Washington (4.5 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.7 percent.
United States Department of Labor
