For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, May 19, 2017 USDL-17-0620
Technical information:
Employment: (202) 691-6559 * sminfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/sae
Unemployment: (202) 691-6392 * lausinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/lau
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- APRIL 2017
Unemployment rates were lower in April in 10 states, higher in 1 state,
and stable in 39 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics reported today. Nineteen states had jobless rate decreases
from a year earlier, and 31 states and the District had little or no change.
The national unemployment rate, 4.4 percent, was little changed from March
but was 0.6 percentage point lower than in April 2016.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 9 states in April 2017, decreased
in 1, and was essentially unchanged in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Over the year, 28 states added nonfarm payroll jobs, 1 state lost jobs, and
21 states and the District were essentially unchanged.
Unemployment
Colorado had the lowest unemployment rate in April, 2.3 percent, followed
by Hawaii and North Dakota, 2.7 percent each. The rates in Arkansas (3.5
percent), Colorado (2.3 percent), and Oregon (3.7 percent) set new series
lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) New Mexico and Alaska had the highest
jobless rates, 6.7 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively. In total, 19 states
had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.4 percent, 7 states and
the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 24 states had rates that were
not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
In April, 10 states had unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which
were in Alabama and Tennessee (-0.4 percentage point each). Massachusetts
had the only rate increase (+0.3 percentage point). The remaining 39 states
and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different
from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as
large numerically as the significant changes. (See table B.)
Nineteen states had unemployment rate changes from April 2016, all of which
were decreases. The largest of these declines occurred in Illinois, Oregon,
West Virginia, and Wyoming (-1.3 percentage points each). (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
Nine states had over-the-month increases in nonfarm payroll employment and
one state had a decrease in April 2017. The largest increase in employment
over the month occurred in Texas (+30,400), followed by Minnesota (+15,100)
and Wisconsin (+14,800). In percentage terms, the largest increase occurred
in Nevada (+0.9 percent), followed by Hawaii and North Dakota (+0.6 percent
each). Indiana had the only over-the-month job loss (-11,300, or -0.4 percent).
(See tables D and 3.)
Twenty-eight states had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment
in April. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+258,900), California
(+236,700), and Florida (+215,400). The largest percentage gain occurred in
Nevada (+3.6 percent), followed by Utah (+3.3 percent) and Florida, Georgia,
and Idaho (+2.6 percent each). Alaska had the only over-the-year decline in
employment (-7,200, or -2.1 percent). (See table E.)
_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for April
is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to
be released on Friday, June 16, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., April 2017, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 4.4
|
Alabama .............................| 5.4
Alaska ..............................| 6.6
Arkansas ............................| 3.5
California ..........................| 4.8
Colorado ............................| 2.3
District of Columbia ................| 5.9
Georgia .............................| 5.0
Hawaii ..............................| 2.7
Idaho ...............................| 3.4
Indiana .............................| 3.6
|
Iowa ................................| 3.1
Kansas ..............................| 3.7
Louisiana ...........................| 5.8
Maine ...............................| 3.0
Minnesota ...........................| 3.8
Montana .............................| 3.8
Nebraska ............................| 3.0
New Hampshire .......................| 2.8
New Mexico ..........................| 6.7
North Dakota ........................| 2.7
|
Oregon ..............................| 3.7
South Dakota ........................| 2.8
Texas ...............................| 5.0
Utah ................................| 3.1
Vermont .............................| 3.1
Virginia ............................| 3.8
Wisconsin ...........................| 3.2
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) Preliminary
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from March 2017 to April 2017, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | March | April | change(p)
| 2017 | 2017(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 5.8 | 5.4 | -0.4
Colorado .......................| 2.6 | 2.3 | -.3
Florida ........................| 4.8 | 4.5 | -.3
Idaho ..........................| 3.5 | 3.4 | -.1
Indiana ........................| 3.9 | 3.6 | -.3
Massachusetts ..................| 3.6 | 3.9 | .3
Michigan .......................| 5.0 | 4.7 | -.3
North Dakota ...................| 2.8 | 2.7 | -.1
Tennessee ......................| 5.1 | 4.7 | -.4
Wisconsin ......................| 3.4 | 3.2 | -.2
Wyoming ........................| 4.5 | 4.3 | -.2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) Preliminary
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from April 2016 to April 2017, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | April | April | change(p)
| 2016 | 2017(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
California .....................| 5.5 | 4.8 | -0.7
Colorado .......................| 3.3 | 2.3 | -1.0
Idaho ..........................| 3.8 | 3.4 | -.4
Illinois .......................| 6.0 | 4.7 | -1.3
Indiana ........................| 4.7 | 3.6 | -1.1
Iowa ...........................| 3.8 | 3.1 | -.7
Maine ..........................| 3.8 | 3.0 | -.8
Mississippi ....................| 6.0 | 5.0 | -1.0
Nevada .........................| 5.9 | 4.7 | -1.2
New Jersey .....................| 5.1 | 4.1 | -1.0
| | |
New York .......................| 4.8 | 4.3 | -.5
North Dakota ...................| 3.3 | 2.7 | -.6
Oregon .........................| 5.0 | 3.7 | -1.3
Rhode Island ...................| 5.4 | 4.3 | -1.1
South Carolina .................| 5.2 | 4.3 | -.9
Washington .....................| 5.6 | 4.6 | -1.0
West Virginia ..................| 6.1 | 4.8 | -1.3
Wisconsin ......................| 4.1 | 3.2 | -.9
Wyoming ........................| 5.6 | 4.3 | -1.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) Preliminary
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from March 2017 to
April 2017, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | March | April |---------------------------
| 2017 | 2017(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ......................| 2,736,100 | 2,745,800 | 9,700 | 0.4
Hawaii .......................| 650,100 | 653,700 | 3,600 | .6
Indiana ......................| 3,117,800 | 3,106,500 | -11,300 | -.4
Minnesota ....................| 2,929,300 | 2,944,400 | 15,100 | .5
Nevada .......................| 1,325,700 | 1,337,000 | 11,300 | .9
North Dakota .................| 434,600 | 437,200 | 2,600 | .6
Oregon .......................| 1,862,100 | 1,868,700 | 6,600 | .4
Texas ........................| 12,217,700 | 12,248,100 | 30,400 | .2
Utah .........................| 1,459,500 | 1,465,900 | 6,400 | .4
Wisconsin ....................| 2,947,100 | 2,961,900 | 14,800 | .5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) Preliminary
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from April 2016 to
April 2017, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | April | April |---------------------------
| 2016 | 2017(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................| 1,972,000 | 1,997,900 | 25,900 | 1.3
Alaska .......................| 335,100 | 327,900 | -7,200 | -2.1
Arizona ......................| 2,692,600 | 2,745,800 | 53,200 | 2.0
Arkansas .....................| 1,225,300 | 1,243,200 | 17,900 | 1.5
California ...................| 16,444,500 | 16,681,200 | 236,700 | 1.4
Colorado .....................| 2,590,200 | 2,635,900 | 45,700 | 1.8
Florida ......................| 8,337,100 | 8,552,500 | 215,400 | 2.6
Georgia ......................| 4,353,100 | 4,466,700 | 113,600 | 2.6
Idaho ........................| 691,600 | 709,900 | 18,300 | 2.6
Kentucky .....................| 1,908,300 | 1,939,500 | 31,200 | 1.6
| | | |
Maryland .....................| 2,704,100 | 2,749,100 | 45,000 | 1.7
Massachusetts ................| 3,551,100 | 3,609,700 | 58,600 | 1.7
Michigan .....................| 4,315,800 | 4,389,400 | 73,600 | 1.7
Minnesota ....................| 2,895,100 | 2,944,400 | 49,300 | 1.7
Missouri .....................| 2,832,500 | 2,869,200 | 36,700 | 1.3
Nevada .......................| 1,290,800 | 1,337,000 | 46,200 | 3.6
New Hampshire ................| 666,500 | 678,500 | 12,000 | 1.8
New Jersey ...................| 4,064,100 | 4,115,700 | 51,600 | 1.3
New York .....................| 9,388,400 | 9,486,200 | 97,800 | 1.0
North Carolina ...............| 4,327,200 | 4,380,500 | 53,300 | 1.2
| | | |
Oregon .......................| 1,826,700 | 1,868,700 | 42,000 | 2.3
South Carolina ...............| 2,047,500 | 2,076,100 | 28,600 | 1.4
South Dakota .................| 431,600 | 439,500 | 7,900 | 1.8
Tennessee ....................| 2,953,500 | 3,010,500 | 57,000 | 1.9
Texas ........................| 11,989,200 | 12,248,100 | 258,900 | 2.2
Utah .........................| 1,419,200 | 1,465,900 | 46,700 | 3.3
Virginia .....................| 3,910,900 | 3,955,300 | 44,400 | 1.1
Washington ...................| 3,226,100 | 3,307,800 | 81,700 | 2.5
Wisconsin ....................| 2,924,300 | 2,961,900 | 37,600 | 1.3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) Preliminary
