For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, May 19, 2023 USDL-23-1014
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 2023
Unemployment rates were lower in April in 14 states and stable in 36 states
and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
today. Sixteen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 10
states had increases, and 24 states and the District had little change. The
national unemployment rate, 3.4 percent, was little changed from March but
was 0.2 percentage point lower than in April 2022.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states, decreased in 1 state, and
was essentially unchanged in 44 states and the District of Columbia in April
2023. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 40 states and
was essentially unchanged in 10 states and the District.
This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian
labor force and unemployment data are modeled based largely on a survey of
households. These data pertain to individuals by where they reside. The
employment data are from an establishment survey that measures nonfarm
employment, hours, and earnings by industry. These data pertain to jobs on
payrolls defined by where the establishments are located. For more information
about the concepts and statistical methodologies used by these two programs,
see the Technical Note.
Unemployment
South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in April, 1.9 percent. The next lowest
rate was in Nebraska, 2.0 percent, followed by New Hampshire and North Dakota,
2.1 percent each. The rates in Alabama (2.2 percent), Arizona (3.4 percent),
Arkansas (2.8 percent), Kentucky (3.7 percent), Maine (2.4 percent), Maryland
(2.5 percent), Mississippi (3.4 percent), Ohio (3.7 percent), West Virginia
(3.3 percent), and Wisconsin (2.4 percent) set new series lows. (All state series
begin in 1976.) Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.4 percent. In total,
17 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.4 percent, 8
states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 25 states had rates that
were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
In April, 14 states had over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, the largest
of which was in Oregon (-0.4 percentage point). Thirty-six 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.)
Sixteen states had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which
was in New Mexico (-0.8 percentage point). Ten states had rate increases from April
2022, the largest of which were in Kansas, Minnesota, and Virginia (+0.5 percentage
point each). (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states, decreased in 1 state, and was
essentially unchanged in 44 states and the District of Columbia in April 2023. The
largest job gains occurred in California (+67,000), Ohio (+18,100), and New Jersey
(+15,800). The largest percentage increase occurred in Indiana (+0.5 percent),
followed by Arizona, California, and New Jersey (+0.4 percent each). Employment
decreased in Rhode Island (-3,800, or -0.8 percent). (See tables D and 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 40 states and was essentially
unchanged in 10 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job increases
occurred in Texas (+534,600), California (+426,000), and Florida (+363,400). The
largest percentage increase occurred in Nevada (+4.2 percent), followed by Texas
(+4.0 percent) and Florida (+3.9 percent). (See table E.)
_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled to
be released on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and
Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released on Friday, June 16, 2023,
at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., April 2023, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 3.4
|
Alabama .............................| 2.2
Arkansas ............................| 2.8
California ..........................| 4.5
Colorado ............................| 2.8
Delaware ............................| 4.3
District of Columbia ................| 5.0
Florida .............................| 2.6
Idaho ...............................| 2.6
Illinois ............................| 4.2
Iowa ................................| 2.7
|
Maine ...............................| 2.4
Maryland ............................| 2.5
Missouri ............................| 2.5
Montana .............................| 2.3
Nebraska ............................| 2.0
Nevada ..............................| 5.4
New Hampshire .......................| 2.1
New York ............................| 4.0
North Dakota ........................| 2.1
Pennsylvania ........................| 4.1
|
South Dakota ........................| 1.9
Texas ...............................| 4.0
Utah ................................| 2.3
Vermont .............................| 2.4
Washington ..........................| 4.3
Wisconsin ...........................| 2.4
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from March 2023 to April 2023, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | March | April | change(p)
| 2023 | 2023(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arkansas .......................| 3.0 | 2.8 | -0.2
Iowa ...........................| 2.8 | 2.7 | -.1
Maine ..........................| 2.6 | 2.4 | -.2
Maryland .......................| 2.7 | 2.5 | -.2
Massachusetts ..................| 3.5 | 3.3 | -.2
Michigan .......................| 4.1 | 3.8 | -.3
Nebraska .......................| 2.1 | 2.0 | -.1
New Hampshire ..................| 2.4 | 2.1 | -.3
Oklahoma .......................| 3.0 | 2.9 | -.1
Oregon .........................| 4.4 | 4.0 | -.4
| | |
Pennsylvania ...................| 4.2 | 4.1 | -.1
Vermont ........................| 2.7 | 2.4 | -.3
Washington .....................| 4.5 | 4.3 | -.2
Wisconsin ......................| 2.5 | 2.4 | -.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from April 2022 to April 2023, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | April | April | change(p)
| 2022 | 2023(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 2.5 | 2.2 | -0.3
Alaska .........................| 4.1 | 3.7 | -.4
Arkansas .......................| 3.1 | 2.8 | -.3
California .....................| 4.1 | 4.5 | .4
Colorado .......................| 3.1 | 2.8 | -.3
Connecticut ....................| 4.2 | 3.8 | -.4
Florida ........................| 3.0 | 2.6 | -.4
Iowa ...........................| 2.3 | 2.7 | .4
Kansas .........................| 2.4 | 2.9 | .5
Maryland .......................| 3.1 | 2.5 | -.6
| | |
Massachusetts ..................| 3.7 | 3.3 | -.4
Minnesota ......................| 2.3 | 2.8 | .5
Mississippi ....................| 3.7 | 3.4 | -.3
Missouri .......................| 2.3 | 2.5 | .2
Montana ........................| 2.6 | 2.3 | -.3
New Jersey .....................| 3.9 | 3.5 | -.4
New Mexico .....................| 4.3 | 3.5 | -.8
New York .......................| 4.3 | 4.0 | -.3
Oregon .........................| 3.6 | 4.0 | .4
Pennsylvania ...................| 4.3 | 4.1 | -.2
| | |
Texas ..........................| 3.8 | 4.0 | .2
Virginia .......................| 2.6 | 3.1 | .5
Washington .....................| 3.9 | 4.3 | .4
West Virginia ..................| 3.7 | 3.3 | -.4
Wisconsin ......................| 2.8 | 2.4 | -.4
Wyoming ........................| 3.2 | 3.5 | .3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
March 2023 to April 2023, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | March | April |---------------------------
| 2023 | 2023(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ......................| 3,146,200 | 3,158,700 | 12,500 | 0.4
California ...................| 17,971,000 | 18,038,000 | 67,000 | .4
Indiana ......................| 3,245,700 | 3,260,400 | 14,700 | .5
New Jersey ...................| 4,316,500 | 4,332,300 | 15,800 | .4
Ohio .........................| 5,590,500 | 5,608,600 | 18,100 | .3
Rhode Island .................| 499,400 | 495,600 | -3,800 | -.8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
April 2022 to April 2023, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | April | April |---------------------------
| 2022 | 2023(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................| 2,103,200 | 2,145,700 | 42,500 | 2.0
Alaska .......................| 317,800 | 324,700 | 6,900 | 2.2
Arizona ......................| 3,088,900 | 3,158,700 | 69,800 | 2.3
Arkansas .....................| 1,322,400 | 1,356,000 | 33,600 | 2.5
California ...................| 17,612,000 | 18,038,000 | 426,000 | 2.4
Delaware .....................| 471,400 | 482,400 | 11,000 | 2.3
Florida ......................| 9,341,300 | 9,704,700 | 363,400 | 3.9
Georgia ......................| 4,782,500 | 4,894,300 | 111,800 | 2.3
Hawaii .......................| 612,500 | 631,100 | 18,600 | 3.0
Idaho ........................| 821,600 | 847,300 | 25,700 | 3.1
| | | |
Illinois .....................| 5,995,100 | 6,126,900 | 131,800 | 2.2
Indiana ......................| 3,179,500 | 3,260,400 | 80,900 | 2.5
Iowa .........................| 1,566,500 | 1,592,800 | 26,300 | 1.7
Kansas .......................| 1,409,500 | 1,441,600 | 32,100 | 2.3
Kentucky .....................| 1,953,500 | 2,009,500 | 56,000 | 2.9
Louisiana ....................| 1,910,500 | 1,958,900 | 48,400 | 2.5
Maryland .....................| 2,699,700 | 2,739,200 | 39,500 | 1.5
Massachusetts ................| 3,660,100 | 3,759,200 | 99,100 | 2.7
Michigan .....................| 4,359,300 | 4,420,000 | 60,700 | 1.4
Minnesota ....................| 2,921,000 | 2,979,200 | 58,200 | 2.0
| | | |
Missouri .....................| 2,914,700 | 2,974,600 | 59,900 | 2.1
Nebraska .....................| 1,021,500 | 1,042,900 | 21,400 | 2.1
Nevada .......................| 1,478,700 | 1,540,300 | 61,600 | 4.2
New Hampshire ................| 685,300 | 699,900 | 14,600 | 2.1
New Jersey ...................| 4,233,200 | 4,332,300 | 99,100 | 2.3
New Mexico ...................| 844,700 | 865,800 | 21,100 | 2.5
New York .....................| 9,439,200 | 9,673,000 | 233,800 | 2.5
North Carolina ...............| 4,774,200 | 4,891,300 | 117,100 | 2.5
Ohio .........................| 5,524,600 | 5,608,600 | 84,000 | 1.5
Oklahoma .....................| 1,689,400 | 1,725,800 | 36,400 | 2.2
| | | |
Oregon .......................| 1,938,400 | 1,989,900 | 51,500 | 2.7
Pennsylvania .................| 5,960,800 | 6,117,100 | 156,300 | 2.6
South Carolina ...............| 2,233,100 | 2,291,600 | 58,500 | 2.6
South Dakota .................| 450,600 | 461,700 | 11,100 | 2.5
Tennessee ....................| 3,222,800 | 3,312,800 | 90,000 | 2.8
Texas ........................| 13,336,500 | 13,871,100 | 534,600 | 4.0
Utah .........................| 1,672,800 | 1,720,400 | 47,600 | 2.8
Virginia .....................| 4,051,100 | 4,138,100 | 87,000 | 2.1
Washington ...................| 3,507,500 | 3,624,300 | 116,800 | 3.3
Wisconsin ....................| 2,952,100 | 3,003,600 | 51,500 | 1.7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
United States Department of Labor
