Unemployment rates were lower in 18 states in March 2023

Unemployment rates were lower in 18 states, higher in the District of Columbia, and stable in 32 states from February to March 2023. Eleven states and the District had over-the-year jobless rate decreases, 10 states had increases, and 29 states had little change. The national unemployment rate, 3.5 percent in March, changed little both over the month and over the year.

Nevada had the highest unemployment rate in March at 5.5 percent, followed by the District of Columbia (4.8 percent) and Washington (4.5 percent). The lowest unemployment rates were in South Dakota (1.9 percent), North Dakota and Nebraska (2.1 percent each), and Alabama and Montana (2.3 percent each). New Mexico had the largest 12-month decrease in unemployment rate in March 2023 at −1.1 percent, while the largest 12-month increase was 0.9 percent in Oregon. 

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "State Employment and Unemployment — March 2023." We also have more charts and maps of state employment and unemployment data in the state chart package.