State Unemployment (Annual) News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, March 1, 2023                           USDL-23-0397

Technical information:  (202) 691-6392  *  lausinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/lau 
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov


                 REGIONAL AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT -- 2022 ANNUAL AVERAGES


In 2022, annual average unemployment rates decreased in 49 states and the District of
Columbia, while the rate was little changed in 1 state, the U.S. Bureau of Labor 
Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios increased in 36 states and 
the District and were little changed in 14 states. The U.S. jobless rate declined by
1.7 percentage points from the prior year to 3.6 percent, while the national employment-
population ratio rose by 1.6 points to 60.0 percent.

Regional Unemployment

Unemployment rates decreased from 2021 in all four regions: the Northeast (-2.3 
percentage points), the West (-2.2 points), the South (-1.4 points), and the Midwest
(-1.2 points). The South, 3.4 percent, registered a jobless rate lower than the U.S.
rate in 2022, while the Northeast and West, 4.0 percent each, had rates higher than the
national figure. The unemployment rates in the Midwest (3.5 percent) and South (3.4 
percent) were the lowest in their annual average series. All region, division, and 
state series begin in 1976. (See table 1.)
 
All nine geographic divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases in 2022,
with the largest of these occurring in the Pacific and Middle Atlantic (-2.6 percentage
points and -2.4 points, respectively). The smallest rate decreases were in the East 
South Central (-0.9 percentage point) and West North Central (-1.0 point). The West 
North Central had the lowest jobless rate, 2.6 percent, followed by the South Atlantic,
3.2 percent. The rates in these two divisions set new annual average series lows, as
did the rates in the East South Central (3.4 percent) and Mountain (3.5 percent). The
highest jobless rates among the divisions were in the Middle Atlantic and Pacific, 4.2
percent each, followed by the East North Central, 3.9 percent.

 ___________________________________________________________________________________
|                                                                                   |
|                 Changes to Local Area Unemployment Statistics Data                |
|										    |
| Effective with this news release, data for regions, divisions, states, the 	    |
| District of Columbia, and modeled substate areas have been re-estimated from 2018 |
| through 2022. The annual average data shown in tables 1 and 2 were affected, as   |
| were monthly seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted data. Information on |
| these data revisions is available at www.bls.gov/lau/launews1.htm.		    |
|___________________________________________________________________________________|


State Unemployment

In 2022, 49 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases and 1
state had little change. The largest decreases occurred in California and New Mexico 
(-3.1 percentage points each). Eight additional states and the District had rate declines
of at least 2.0 percentage points. (See table A.)

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia set new annual average series low unemployment
rates in 2022. North Dakota and South Dakota had the lowest jobless rates among the 
states, 2.1 percent each. Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.4 percent. Overall,
21 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.6 percent, 8 states
and the District had higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not appreciably
different from that of the nation. (See tables B and C.)

Regional Employment-Population Ratios

In 2022, all four census regions had increases in their employment-population ratios--
the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over
who are employed. The West had the largest ratio increase (+2.1 percentage points), 
followed by the Northeast (+2.0 points). The Midwest had the highest employment-population
ratio, 61.7 percent, while the South had the lowest ratio, 58.9 percent. (See table 2.)

All nine census divisions had over-the-year increases in their employment-population 
ratios in 2022, the largest of which were in the Pacific (+2.4 percentage points) and
Middle Atlantic (+2.1 points). Three divisions had ratios notably higher than the U.S.
ratio of 60.0 percent: the West North Central, 64.8 percent; New England, 62.2 percent;
and Mountain, 61.6 percent. Three divisions had ratios that were lower than the national
average: the East South Central, 56.0 percent; Middle Atlantic, 58.9 percent; and South
Atlantic, 59.0 percent.

State Employment-Population Ratios

In 2022, employment-population ratios increased in 36 states and the District of Columbia.
Connecticut (+3.6 percentage points) and the District (+3.0 points) had the largest 
increases, with an additional nine states experiencing ratio increases of at least 2.0
points. The remaining 14 states had ratios that were not notably different from those of
the previous year, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the
significant changes. (See table D.)

Nebraska had the highest proportion of employed persons in 2022, 68.1 percent, followed
by North Dakota, 67.8 percent. The District of Columbia had the highest annual average
employment-population ratio in its series, 67.4 percent. West Virginia and Mississippi
had the lowest employment-population ratios among the states, 52.5 percent and 52.7
percent, respectively. Overall, 23 states and the District had employment-population
ratios higher than the U.S. ratio of 60.0 percent, 18 states had lower ratios, and 9 
states had ratios that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See
table E.)

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2023 is scheduled
to be released on Monday, March 13, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area
Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2023 is scheduled to be
released on Friday, March 17, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).



Table A.  States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes, 
2021-22 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate           |               
                                |-------------------------| Over-the-year 
             State              |            |            |  rate change  
                                |    2021    |    2022    |               
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
Alabama ........................|     3.4    |     2.6    |      -0.8
Alaska .........................|     6.4    |     4.0    |      -2.4
Arizona ........................|     5.1    |     3.8    |      -1.3
Arkansas .......................|     4.1    |     3.3    |       -.8
California .....................|     7.3    |     4.2    |      -3.1
Colorado .......................|     5.4    |     3.0    |      -2.4
Connecticut ....................|     6.3    |     4.2    |      -2.1
Delaware .......................|     5.5    |     4.5    |      -1.0
District of Columbia ...........|     6.8    |     4.7    |      -2.1
Florida ........................|     4.6    |     2.9    |      -1.7
                                |            |            |
Georgia ........................|     3.9    |     3.0    |       -.9
Hawaii .........................|     6.0    |     3.5    |      -2.5
Idaho ..........................|     3.5    |     2.7    |       -.8
Illinois .......................|     6.1    |     4.6    |      -1.5
Indiana ........................|     3.9    |     3.0    |       -.9
Iowa ...........................|     3.8    |     2.7    |      -1.1
Kansas .........................|     3.3    |     2.7    |       -.6
Louisiana ......................|     5.6    |     3.7    |      -1.9
Maine ..........................|     4.6    |     3.0    |      -1.6
Maryland .......................|     5.3    |     3.2    |      -2.1
                                |            |            |
Massachusetts ..................|     5.5    |     3.8    |      -1.7
Michigan .......................|     5.8    |     4.2    |      -1.6
Minnesota ......................|     3.8    |     2.7    |      -1.1
Mississippi ....................|     5.5    |     3.9    |      -1.6
Missouri .......................|     4.1    |     2.5    |      -1.6
Montana ........................|     3.4    |     2.6    |       -.8
Nebraska .......................|     2.7    |     2.3    |       -.4
Nevada .........................|     6.9    |     5.4    |      -1.5
New Hampshire ..................|     3.4    |     2.5    |       -.9
New Jersey .....................|     6.6    |     3.7    |      -2.9
                                |            |            |
New Mexico .....................|     7.1    |     4.0    |      -3.1
New York .......................|     7.0    |     4.3    |      -2.7
North Carolina .................|     4.9    |     3.7    |      -1.2
North Dakota ...................|     3.1    |     2.1    |      -1.0
Ohio ...........................|     5.1    |     4.0    |      -1.1
Oklahoma .......................|     4.0    |     3.0    |      -1.0
Oregon .........................|     5.2    |     4.2    |      -1.0
Pennsylvania ...................|     6.0    |     4.4    |      -1.6
Rhode Island ...................|     5.5    |     3.2    |      -2.3
South Carolina .................|     3.9    |     3.2    |       -.7
                                |            |            |
South Dakota ...................|     2.6    |     2.1    |       -.5
Tennessee ......................|     4.5    |     3.4    |      -1.1
Texas ..........................|     5.6    |     3.9    |      -1.7
Utah ...........................|     2.7    |     2.3    |       -.4
Vermont ........................|     3.7    |     2.6    |      -1.1
Virginia .......................|     3.9    |     2.9    |      -1.0
Washington .....................|     5.2    |     4.2    |      -1.0
West Virginia ..................|     5.1    |     3.9    |      -1.2
Wisconsin ......................|     3.8    |     2.9    |       -.9
Wyoming ........................|     4.6    |     3.6    |      -1.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Table B.  States with new series low unemployment rates,
2022 annual averages (1)
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate
--------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama .............................|           2.6
Alaska ..............................|           4.0
Arkansas ............................|           3.3
District of Columbia ................|           4.7
Georgia .............................|           3.0
Idaho ...............................|           2.7
Kansas ..............................|           2.7
Kentucky ............................|           3.9
Louisiana ...........................|           3.7
Maryland ............................|           3.2
                                     |
Mississippi .........................|           3.9
Missouri ............................|           2.5
Montana .............................|           2.6
Nebraska ............................|           2.3
North Dakota ........................|           2.1
Ohio ................................|           4.0
South Dakota ........................|           2.1
Utah ................................|           2.3
West Virginia .......................|           3.9
Wisconsin ...........................|           2.9
--------------------------------------------------------------
   (1) All state series begin in 1976.


Table C.  States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., 2022 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................|           3.6
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           2.6
California ..........................|           4.2
Colorado ............................|           3.0
Delaware ............................|           4.5
District of Columbia ................|           4.7
Florida .............................|           2.9
Georgia .............................|           3.0
Idaho ...............................|           2.7
Illinois ............................|           4.6
Indiana .............................|           3.0
                                     |
Iowa ................................|           2.7
Kansas ..............................|           2.7
Maine ...............................|           3.0
Michigan ............................|           4.2
Minnesota ...........................|           2.7
Missouri ............................|           2.5
Montana .............................|           2.6
Nebraska ............................|           2.3
Nevada ..............................|           5.4
New Hampshire .......................|           2.5
                                     |
New York ............................|           4.3
North Dakota ........................|           2.1
Oklahoma ............................|           3.0
Pennsylvania ........................|           4.4
South Dakota ........................|           2.1
Utah ................................|           2.3
Vermont .............................|           2.6
Virginia ............................|           2.9
Washington ..........................|           4.2
Wisconsin ...........................|           2.9
--------------------------------------------------------------


Table D.  States with statistically significant employment-population 
ratio changes, 2021-22 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Ratio          |               
                                |-------------------------| Over-the-year 
             State              |            |            | ratio change  
                                |    2021    |    2022    |               
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
Alabama ........................|    54.7    |    55.5    |       0.8
Alaska .........................|    60.6    |    62.6    |       2.0
Arizona ........................|    58.2    |    59.3    |       1.1
Arkansas .......................|    54.4    |    55.6    |       1.2
California .....................|    56.6    |    59.3    |       2.7
Colorado .......................|    64.4    |    66.3    |       1.9
Connecticut ....................|    59.2    |    62.8    |       3.6
District of Columbia ...........|    64.4    |    67.4    |       3.0
Florida ........................|    55.5    |    57.6    |       2.1
Hawaii .........................|    56.0    |    58.1    |       2.1
                                |            |            |
Illinois .......................|    59.3    |    61.5    |       2.2
Indiana ........................|    60.5    |    61.6    |       1.1
Iowa ...........................|    64.8    |    66.3    |       1.5
Louisiana ......................|    54.7    |    56.5    |       1.8
Maryland .......................|    61.5    |    62.8    |       1.3
Massachusetts ..................|    61.5    |    62.7    |       1.2
Michigan .......................|    55.8    |    57.3    |       1.5
Minnesota ......................|    64.9    |    66.3    |       1.4
Missouri .......................|    60.2    |    61.1    |        .9
Montana ........................|    60.2    |    61.4    |       1.2
                                |            |            |
Nevada .........................|    55.9    |    57.9    |       2.0
New Jersey .....................|    58.8    |    61.5    |       2.7
New Mexico .....................|    52.5    |    54.2    |       1.7
New York .......................|    55.3    |    57.7    |       2.4
North Carolina .................|    56.5    |    58.7    |       2.2
North Dakota ...................|    66.5    |    67.8    |       1.3
Ohio ...........................|    58.2    |    59.0    |        .8
Oklahoma .......................|    58.3    |    59.1    |        .8
Oregon .........................|    58.8    |    60.2    |       1.4
Pennsylvania ...................|    57.7    |    59.1    |       1.4
                                |            |            |
Rhode Island ...................|    60.1    |    61.3    |       1.2
Texas ..........................|    59.9    |    61.4    |       1.5
Utah ...........................|    66.0    |    67.1    |       1.1
Vermont ........................|    59.9    |    61.5    |       1.6
Virginia .......................|    61.2    |    63.0    |       1.8
Washington .....................|    59.9    |    61.4    |       1.5
West Virginia ..................|    51.2    |    52.5    |       1.3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Table E.  States with employment-population ratios significantly
different from that of the U.S., 2022 annual averages
----------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Ratio          
----------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................|           60.0
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           55.5
Alaska ..............................|           62.6
Arkansas ............................|           55.6
California ..........................|           59.3
Colorado ............................|           66.3
Connecticut .........................|           62.8
Delaware ............................|           57.7
District of Columbia ................|           67.4
Florida .............................|           57.6
Hawaii ..............................|           58.1
                                     |
Idaho ...............................|           61.4
Illinois ............................|           61.5
Indiana .............................|           61.6
Iowa ................................|           66.3
Kansas ..............................|           64.6
Kentucky ............................|           55.6
Louisiana ...........................|           56.5
Maine ...............................|           56.8
Maryland ............................|           62.8
Massachusetts .......................|           62.7
                                     |
Michigan ............................|           57.3
Minnesota ...........................|           66.3
Mississippi .........................|           52.7
Montana .............................|           61.4
Nebraska ............................|           68.1
Nevada ..............................|           57.9
New Hampshire .......................|           64.5
New Jersey ..........................|           61.5
New Mexico ..........................|           54.2
New York ............................|           57.7
                                     |
North Carolina ......................|           58.7
North Dakota ........................|           67.8
South Carolina ......................|           54.7
South Dakota ........................|           66.8
Tennessee ...........................|           57.9
Texas ...............................|           61.4
Utah ................................|           67.1
Vermont .............................|           61.5
Virginia ............................|           63.0
Washington ..........................|           61.4
West Virginia .......................|           52.5
Wisconsin ...........................|           63.1
----------------------------------------------------------------

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 employed and unemployed persons on a place-of-residence
basis. The universe for each is the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and older.
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; persons 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 unemployed persons 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 older that is employed.

Method of estimation. Estimates for 48 of the 50 states, the District 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 uses 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 division 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 obtained by summing the model-based estimates for the component divisions and then 
calculating the unemployment rate. Each month, census division estimates are controlled to national
totals; state estimates are then controlled to their respective division totals. Estimates for Puerto
Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to the CPS. A detailed description of the
estimation procedures is available from BLS upon request. 

Annual revisions. Labor force and unemployment data for prior years reflect adjustments made at the
beginning of each year. The adjusted estimates incorporate updated population controls from the U.S.
Census Bureau, any revisions in the other data sources, and model re-estimation. The population 
controls reflect a "blended base," with elements from three independent data sources for April 1, 2020.
In most years, historical data for the most recent 5 years (both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally
adjusted) are revised near the beginning of each calendar year, prior to the release of January 
estimates. Though the labor force estimates typically are updated for 5 years, the population controls
are revised back to the most recent decennial estimates base (April 2020).

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 introduced
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,
level 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 differ slightly from rates and ratios computed using the rounded level estimates displayed in table
1.

Use of error measures. Changes in unemployment rates and employment-population ratios are cited in the
analysis of this release only if they have been determined to be statistically significant. Furthermore,
unemployment rates and employment-population ratios for the latest year generally are cited only if 
they have been determined to be significantly different from the corresponding U.S. measure. The 
underlying 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 and 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 0.8 percentage point. Measures of nonsampling
error are not available.

Additional information

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.