For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Friday, January 24, 2020						USDL-20-0109

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 -- DECEMBER 2019


Unemployment rates were lower in December in 11 states, higher in 4 states, and stable in 35 states
and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Eight states had
jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 1 state had an increase, and 41 states and the District
had little or no change. The national unemployment rate, 3.5 percent, was unchanged over the month but
was 0.4 percentage point lower than in December 2018.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 3 states in December 2019 and was essentially unchanged in 47
states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 26 states added nonfarm payroll jobs and 24 states
and the District were essentially unchanged.

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 Carolina, Utah, and Vermont had the lowest unemployment rates in December, 2.3 percent each. The 
rates in Colorado (2.5 percent), Florida (3.0 percent), Georgia (3.2 percent), Illinois (3.7 percent),
Oregon (3.7 percent), South Carolina (2.3 percent), Utah (2.3 percent), and Washington (4.3 percent) set
new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.1 percent. In
total, 15 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.5 percent, 12 states and the 
District of Columbia had higher rates, and 23 states had rates that were not appreciably different from
that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)

Nevada and Oregon had the largest over-the-month unemployment rate decreases in December (-0.2 percentage
point each). Louisiana and Pennsylvania had the largest rate increases (+0.2 percentage point each). 
Thirty-five 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.)

Alabama and Colorado had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decreases (-1.1 percentage points
each). The only rate increase from December 2018 occurred in Mississippi (+1.0 percentage point). (See 
table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in three states in December 2019. The job gains occurred in Texas 
(+29,800, or +0.2 percent), Washington (+10,900, or +0.3 percent), and Arkansas (+5,400, or +0.4 percent).
(See table 3.)

Twenty-six states had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment in December. The largest job 
gains occurred in Texas (+342,800), California (+310,300), and Florida (+212,000). The largest percentage
gains occurred in Utah (+3.1 percent), Idaho (+2.9 percent), and Arizona (+2.8 percent). (See table D.)

_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for December 2019 is scheduled to be 
released on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (EST). The Regional and State Unemployment 2019
Annual Averages news release is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2020 is scheduled to be released on Monday,
March 16, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
|													|
|			Upcoming Changes to Local Area Unemployment Statistics Data			|
|													|
|Effective with the release of Regional and State Unemployment 2019 Annual Averages on Wednesday, March |
|4, 2020, the civilian labor force and unemployment data for the states, the District of Columbia, and  |
|the modeled substate areas presented in tables 1 and 2 of this news release will be revised to         |
|incorporate updated inputs, new population controls, reestimation of models, and adjustment to new     |
|census division and national control totals. Data in table 1 will be re-seasonally adjusted as well.   |
|Both not seasonally adjusted and seasonally adjusted data are subject to revision back to 2015.        |
|_______________________________________________________________________________________________________|

 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
|													|
|			Upcoming Changes to Current Employment Statistics Data				|
|													|
|Effective with the release of January 2020 estimates on March 16, 2020, all nonfarm payroll employment |
|estimates for states and areas presented in tables 3 and 4 of this news release will be adjusted to    |
|2019 benchmark levels. Not seasonally adjusted data beginning with April 2018 and seasonally adjusted  |
|data beginning with January 2015 are subject to revision. Some not seasonally adjusted and seasonally  |
|adjusted series may be revised as far back as 1990.							|
|_______________________________________________________________________________________________________|



Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., December 2019, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................|           3.5
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           2.7
Alaska ..............................|           6.1
Arizona .............................|           4.6
California ..........................|           3.9
Colorado ............................|           2.5
District of Columbia ................|           5.3
Florida .............................|           3.0
Hawaii ..............................|           2.6
Idaho ...............................|           2.9
Iowa ................................|           2.7
                                     |
Kentucky ............................|           4.3
Louisiana ...........................|           4.9
Maine ...............................|           2.9
Massachusetts .......................|           2.8
Mississippi .........................|           5.7
Nebraska ............................|           3.1
New Hampshire .......................|           2.6
New Mexico ..........................|           4.7
New York ............................|           4.0
North Dakota ........................|           2.4
                                     |
Ohio ................................|           4.2
Pennsylvania ........................|           4.5
South Carolina ......................|           2.3
Utah ................................|           2.3
Vermont .............................|           2.3
Virginia ............................|           2.6
Washington ..........................|           4.3
West Virginia .......................|           5.0
--------------------------------------------------------------
   (1) Data are not preliminary.
   (p) = preliminary.


Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from November 2019 to December 2019, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
             State              |  November |  December |    change(p)
                                |    2019   |  2019(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ........................|     4.7   |     4.6   |      -0.1
Florida ........................|     3.1   |     3.0   |       -.1
Georgia ........................|     3.3   |     3.2   |       -.1
Louisiana ......................|     4.7   |     4.9   |        .2
Maryland .......................|     3.6   |     3.5   |       -.1
Nevada .........................|     4.0   |     3.8   |       -.2
New Jersey .....................|     3.4   |     3.5   |        .1
North Carolina .................|     3.8   |     3.7   |       -.1
North Dakota ...................|     2.5   |     2.4   |       -.1
Oregon .........................|     3.9   |     3.7   |       -.2
                                |           |           |
Pennsylvania ...................|     4.3   |     4.5   |        .2
South Carolina .................|     2.4   |     2.3   |       -.1
South Dakota ...................|     3.1   |     3.2   |        .1
Utah ...........................|     2.4   |     2.3   |       -.1
Washington .....................|     4.4   |     4.3   |       -.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from December 2018 to December 2019, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------|  Over-the-year
             State              |  December |  December |    change(p)
                                |    2018   |  2019(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................|     3.8   |     2.7   |      -1.1
California .....................|     4.1   |     3.9   |       -.2
Colorado .......................|     3.6   |     2.5   |      -1.1
Georgia ........................|     3.7   |     3.2   |       -.5
Maine ..........................|     3.5   |     2.9   |       -.6
Mississippi ....................|     4.7   |     5.7   |       1.0
South Carolina .................|     3.2   |     2.3   |       -.9
Utah ...........................|     3.2   |     2.3   |       -.9
Vermont ........................|     2.6   |     2.3   |       -.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
December 2018 to December 2019, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             | Over-the-year change(p)
           State              |   December  |   December  |---------------------------
                              |     2018    |    2019(p)  |    Level    |    Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................|   2,057,600 |   2,103,300 |      45,700 |      2.2
Arizona ......................|   2,891,000 |   2,971,800 |      80,800 |      2.8
Arkansas .....................|   1,269,400 |   1,287,700 |      18,300 |      1.4
California ...................|  17,302,200 |  17,612,500 |     310,300 |      1.8
Colorado .....................|   2,746,900 |   2,803,500 |      56,600 |      2.1
Florida ......................|   8,892,000 |   9,104,000 |     212,000 |      2.4
Georgia ......................|   4,587,000 |   4,653,700 |      66,700 |      1.5
Idaho ........................|     742,300 |     763,900 |      21,600 |      2.9
Illinois .....................|   6,148,300 |   6,193,300 |      45,000 |       .7
Kansas .......................|   1,423,300 |   1,443,400 |      20,100 |      1.4
                              |             |             |             |       
Maryland .....................|   2,759,700 |   2,790,700 |      31,000 |      1.1
Massachusetts ................|   3,649,200 |   3,694,000 |      44,800 |      1.2
Nebraska .....................|   1,023,800 |   1,039,500 |      15,700 |      1.5
Nevada .......................|   1,412,700 |   1,440,100 |      27,400 |      1.9
New Jersey ...................|   4,179,100 |   4,218,100 |      39,000 |       .9
New Mexico ...................|     846,200 |     861,800 |      15,600 |      1.8
New York .....................|   9,714,600 |   9,821,800 |     107,200 |      1.1
North Carolina ...............|   4,499,700 |   4,593,600 |      93,900 |      2.1
Oregon .......................|   1,920,900 |   1,957,700 |      36,800 |      1.9
Rhode Island .................|     497,700 |     506,300 |       8,600 |      1.7
                              |             |             |             |       
South Carolina ...............|   2,166,500 |   2,193,700 |      27,200 |      1.3
Tennessee ....................|   3,087,300 |   3,136,500 |      49,200 |      1.6
Texas ........................|  12,633,900 |  12,976,700 |     342,800 |      2.7
Utah .........................|   1,540,300 |   1,588,200 |      47,900 |      3.1
Virginia .....................|   4,008,600 |   4,053,800 |      45,200 |      1.1
Washington ...................|   3,444,200 |   3,528,400 |      84,200 |      2.4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.