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Economic News Release
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Regional and State Unemployment (Annual) News Release

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.




Last Modified Date: February 25, 2011