For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Tuesday, November 19, 2019	                USDL-19-2049

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 -- OCTOBER 2019


Unemployment rates were lower in October in 4 states, higher in 2 states,
and stable in 44 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, 3 states had increases, and 39 states and the District
had little or no change. The national unemployment rate, 3.6 percent, was
little changed over the month and from October 2018.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 4 states in October 2019, decreased
in 1, and was essentially unchanged in 45 states and the District of Columbia.
Over the year, 27 states added nonfarm payroll jobs and 23 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

Vermont had the lowest unemployment rate in October, 2.2 percent. The rates
in Alabama (2.8 percent), California (3.9 percent), Maine (2.8 percent), and
South Carolina (2.6 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in
1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.2 percent. In total, 15 states
had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.6 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.)

South Carolina had the largest over-the-month unemployment rate decrease
(-0.3 percentage point) in October, closely followed by Alabama and Utah
(-0.2 point each) and Georgia (-0.1 point). Delaware and Pennsylvania had
the only rate increases (+0.2 percentage point each). The remaining 44 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.

Alabama and Colorado had the largest over-the-year unemployment rate decreases
(-1.0 percentage point each). The largest rate increase from October 2018
occurred in Mississippi (+0.8 percentage point). (See table B.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in four states in October 2019. The
job gains occurred in Texas (+30,100, or +0.2 percent), Maryland (+10,700,
or +0.4 percent), Utah (+6,700, or +0.4 percent), and Nebraska (+5,200, or
+0.5 percent). Employment decreased in October in Michigan (-21,800, or -0.5
percent). (See tables C and 3.)

Twenty-seven states had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment
in October. The largest job gains occurred in California (+308,000), Texas
(+297,100), and Florida (+228,600). The largest percentage gains occurred
in Utah (+3.2 percent), Florida (+2.6 percent), and Arizona (+2.5 percent).
(See table D.)

_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for October
is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.
(EST). The State Employment and Unemployment news release for November is
scheduled to be released on Friday, December 20, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).



Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., October 2019, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................|           3.6
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           2.8
Alaska ..............................|           6.2
Arizona .............................|           4.8
California ..........................|           3.9
Colorado ............................|           2.6
District of Columbia ................|           5.4
Hawaii ..............................|           2.7
Idaho ...............................|           2.9
Iowa ................................|           2.6
Kentucky ............................|           4.3
                                     |
Louisiana ...........................|           4.5
Maine ...............................|           2.8
Massachusetts .......................|           2.9
Mississippi .........................|           5.5
Nebraska ............................|           3.1
New Hampshire .......................|           2.6
New Mexico ..........................|           4.8
New York ............................|           4.0
North Dakota ........................|           2.5
Ohio ................................|           4.2
                                     |
Pennsylvania ........................|           4.2
South Carolina ......................|           2.6
South Dakota ........................|           3.0
Utah ................................|           2.5
Vermont .............................|           2.2
Virginia ............................|           2.6
Washington ..........................|           4.5
West Virginia .......................|           4.8
--------------------------------------------------------------
   (1) Data are not preliminary.
   (p) = preliminary.


Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from October 2018 to October 2019, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------|  Over-the-year
             State              |  October  |  October  |    change(p)
                                |    2018   |  2019(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................|     3.8   |     2.8   |      -1.0
California .....................|     4.1   |     3.9   |       -.2
Colorado .......................|     3.6   |     2.6   |      -1.0
Maine ..........................|     3.5   |     2.8   |       -.7
Mississippi ....................|     4.7   |     5.5   |        .8
Nebraska .......................|     2.7   |     3.1   |        .4
New Jersey .....................|     3.9   |     3.2   |       -.7
New York .......................|     3.8   |     4.0   |        .2
South Carolina .................|     3.2   |     2.6   |       -.6
Utah ...........................|     3.2   |     2.5   |       -.7
Vermont ........................|     2.6   |     2.2   |       -.4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table C. States with statistically significant employment changes from
September 2019 to October 2019, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             | Over-the-month change(p)
           State              |  September  |   October   |---------------------------
                              |     2019    |    2019(p)  |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maryland .....................|   2,765,500 |   2,776,200 |      10,700 |      0.4
Michigan .....................|   4,446,300 |   4,424,500 |     -21,800 |      -.5
Nebraska .....................|   1,033,300 |   1,038,500 |       5,200 |       .5
Texas ........................|  12,867,300 |  12,897,400 |      30,100 |       .2
Utah .........................|   1,574,100 |   1,580,800 |       6,700 |       .4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
October 2018 to October 2019, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             | Over-the-year change(p)
           State              |   October   |   October   |---------------------------
                              |     2018    |    2019(p)  |    Level    |    Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................|   2,050,200 |   2,091,800 |      41,600 |      2.0
Arizona ......................|   2,881,400 |   2,952,000 |      70,600 |      2.5
Arkansas .....................|   1,264,300 |   1,282,200 |      17,900 |      1.4
California ...................|  17,259,500 |  17,567,500 |     308,000 |      1.8
Colorado .....................|   2,738,800 |   2,791,500 |      52,700 |      1.9
Florida ......................|   8,850,400 |   9,079,000 |     228,600 |      2.6
Georgia ......................|   4,568,900 |   4,641,400 |      72,500 |      1.6
Idaho ........................|     740,900 |     757,300 |      16,400 |      2.2
Illinois .....................|   6,135,300 |   6,192,300 |      57,000 |       .9
Kansas .......................|   1,419,700 |   1,437,800 |      18,100 |      1.3
                              |             |             |             |       
Kentucky .....................|   1,933,400 |   1,964,500 |      31,100 |      1.6
Maryland .....................|   2,746,200 |   2,776,200 |      30,000 |      1.1
Massachusetts ................|   3,642,900 |   3,694,600 |      51,700 |      1.4
Missouri .....................|   2,888,900 |   2,923,500 |      34,600 |      1.2
Nebraska .....................|   1,022,400 |   1,038,500 |      16,100 |      1.6
Nevada .......................|   1,404,900 |   1,435,700 |      30,800 |      2.2
New Mexico ...................|     844,900 |     862,200 |      17,300 |      2.0
New York .....................|   9,700,300 |   9,804,000 |     103,700 |      1.1
North Carolina ...............|   4,498,300 |   4,589,100 |      90,800 |      2.0
Oregon .......................|   1,918,400 |   1,951,000 |      32,600 |      1.7
                              |             |             |             |       
Rhode Island .................|     496,900 |     505,800 |       8,900 |      1.8
South Carolina ...............|   2,154,200 |   2,185,000 |      30,800 |      1.4
South Dakota .................|     441,300 |     449,500 |       8,200 |      1.9
Tennessee ....................|   3,081,000 |   3,119,900 |      38,900 |      1.3
Texas ........................|  12,600,300 |  12,897,400 |     297,100 |      2.4
Utah .........................|   1,531,900 |   1,580,800 |      48,900 |      3.2
Washington ...................|   3,426,900 |   3,503,900 |      77,000 |      2.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.