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Economic News Release
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State Employment and Unemployment Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, March 22, 2024	                          USDL-24-0547

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 -- FEBRUARY 2024


Unemployment rates were higher in February in 3 states, lower in 3 states, and stable in
44 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Twenty-eight states had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 3 states had decreases,
and 19 states and the District had little change. The national unemployment rate increased
by 0.2 percentage point to 3.9 percent and was 0.3 point higher than in February 2023.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 4 states and was essentially unchanged in 46 states
and the District of Columbia in February 2024. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment
increased in 25 states and was essentially unchanged in 25 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

North Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in February, 2.0 percent. The next lowest rate was in
South Dakota, 2.1 percent. California had the highest unemployment rate, 5.3 percent, closely
followed by Nevada, 5.2 percent. In total, 22 states had unemployment rates lower than the
U.S. figure of 3.9 percent, 6 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 22
states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A
and 1.)

In February, three states had over-the-month unemployment rate increases: Rhode Island (+0.3
percentage point) and Connecticut and Washington (+0.1 point each). Three states had rate 
decreases: Tennessee and Wisconsin (-0.2 percentage point each) and Massachusetts (-0.1
point). Forty-four 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.)

Twenty-eight states had unemployment rate increases from February 2023, the largest of which
was in Rhode Island (+1.1 percentage points). Three states had over-the-year rate decreases,
the largest of which was in Massachusetts (-0.7 percentage point). Nineteen states and the
District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a year
earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant
changes. (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 4 states and was essentially unchanged in 46 states
and the District of Columbia in February 2024. Job gains occurred in Texas (+49,800, or +0.4
percent), Illinois (+23,100, or +0.4 percent), Michigan (+15,200, or +0.3 percent), and Iowa
(+11,000, or +0.7 percent). (See tables D and 3.)

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 25 states and was essentially unchanged
in 25 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+291,400),
Florida (+226,200), and California (+179,700). The largest percentage increases occurred in
Nevada (+3.4 percent), Alaska (+3.1 percent), and South Carolina (+3.0 percent). (See table E.)

_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for February is scheduled
to be released on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and
Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 19, 2024,
at 10:00 a.m. (ET).


Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., February 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................|           3.9
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           3.0
California ..........................|           5.3
District of Columbia ................|           5.1
Florida .............................|           3.1
Georgia .............................|           3.1
Hawaii ..............................|           3.1
Idaho ...............................|           3.3
Illinois ............................|           4.8
Iowa ................................|           2.9
Kansas ..............................|           2.7
                                     |
Maryland ............................|           2.4
Massachusetts .......................|           2.9
Minnesota ...........................|           2.7
Mississippi .........................|           3.1
Nebraska ............................|           2.5
Nevada ..............................|           5.2
New Hampshire .......................|           2.6
New Jersey ..........................|           4.8
New York ............................|           4.4
North Dakota ........................|           2.0
                                     |
Pennsylvania ........................|           3.4
South Carolina ......................|           3.1
South Dakota ........................|           2.1
Utah ................................|           2.8
Vermont .............................|           2.3
Virginia ............................|           3.0
Washington ..........................|           4.7
Wisconsin ...........................|           3.0
Wyoming .............................|           2.8
--------------------------------------------------------------
   (1) Data are not preliminary.
   (p) = preliminary.


Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from January 2024 to February 2024, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
             State              |  January  | February  |    change(p)
                                |   2024    |  2024(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connecticut ....................|     4.4   |     4.5   |       0.1
Massachusetts ..................|     3.0   |     2.9   |       -.1
Rhode Island ...................|     3.6   |     3.9   |        .3
Tennessee ......................|     3.5   |     3.3   |       -.2
Washington .....................|     4.6   |     4.7   |        .1
Wisconsin ......................|     3.2   |     3.0   |       -.2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from February 2023 to February 2024, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate         |
                                |-----------|-----------|  Over-the-year
             State              | February  | February  |    change(p)
                                |   2023    |  2024(p)  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................|     2.3   |     3.0   |       0.7
Alaska .........................|     3.9   |     4.7   |        .8
Arizona ........................|     3.7   |     4.1   |        .4
Arkansas .......................|     2.9   |     3.6   |        .7
California .....................|     4.5   |     5.3   |        .8
Colorado .......................|     3.0   |     3.5   |        .5
Connecticut ....................|     3.5   |     4.5   |       1.0
Florida ........................|     2.8   |     3.1   |        .3
Idaho ..........................|     2.9   |     3.3   |        .4
Illinois .......................|     4.3   |     4.8   |        .5
                                |           |           |
Indiana ........................|     3.2   |     3.5   |        .3
Louisiana ......................|     3.6   |     4.2   |        .6
Maine ..........................|     2.4   |     3.4   |       1.0
Massachusetts ..................|     3.6   |     2.9   |       -.7
Missouri .......................|     2.8   |     3.3   |        .5
Montana ........................|     2.5   |     3.4   |        .9
Nebraska .......................|     2.1   |     2.5   |        .4
New Hampshire ..................|     1.9   |     2.6   |        .7
New Jersey .....................|     4.0   |     4.8   |        .8
New Mexico .....................|     3.6   |     3.9   |        .3
                                |           |           |
New York .......................|     4.0   |     4.4   |        .4
Oklahoma .......................|     3.0   |     3.6   |        .6
Oregon .........................|     3.6   |     4.2   |        .6
Pennsylvania ...................|     3.7   |     3.4   |       -.3
Rhode Island ...................|     2.8   |     3.9   |       1.1
Utah ...........................|     2.5   |     2.8   |        .3
Vermont ........................|     1.9   |     2.3   |        .4
Washington .....................|     4.0   |     4.7   |        .7
West Virginia ..................|     3.5   |     4.3   |        .8
Wisconsin ......................|     2.6   |     3.0   |        .4
Wyoming ........................|     3.1   |     2.8   |       -.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
January 2024 to February 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             | Over-the-month change(p)
            State             |   January   |   February  |---------------------------
                              |     2024    |    2024(p)  |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Illinois .....................|   6,099,700 |   6,122,800 |      23,100 |      0.4
Iowa .........................|   1,596,200 |   1,607,200 |      11,000 |       .7
Michigan .....................|   4,457,100 |   4,472,300 |      15,200 |       .3
Texas ........................|  14,053,900 |  14,103,700 |      49,800 |       .4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.


Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
February 2023 to February 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              |             |             |  Over-the-year change(p)
            State             |   February  |   February  |---------------------------
                              |     2023    |    2024(p)  |    Level    |   Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................|   2,151,800 |   2,187,900 |      36,100 |      1.7
Alaska .......................|     324,900 |     334,900 |      10,000 |      3.1
Arizona ......................|   3,172,000 |   3,238,100 |      66,100 |      2.1
California ...................|  17,791,400 |  17,971,100 |     179,700 |      1.0
Colorado .....................|   2,915,500 |   2,975,800 |      60,300 |      2.1
Florida ......................|   9,661,400 |   9,887,600 |     226,200 |      2.3
Georgia ......................|   4,889,300 |   4,938,200 |      48,900 |      1.0
Idaho ........................|     839,000 |     862,100 |      23,100 |      2.8
Indiana ......................|   3,230,300 |   3,272,400 |      42,100 |      1.3
Minnesota ....................|   2,970,500 |   3,008,200 |      37,700 |      1.3
                              |             |             |             |       
Missouri .....................|   2,965,400 |   3,011,400 |      46,000 |      1.6
Nebraska .....................|   1,042,200 |   1,060,400 |      18,200 |      1.7
Nevada .......................|   1,523,000 |   1,574,200 |      51,200 |      3.4
New Jersey ...................|   4,297,700 |   4,370,700 |      73,000 |      1.7
New York .....................|   9,669,600 |   9,802,600 |     133,000 |      1.4
North Carolina ...............|   4,909,900 |   4,981,500 |      71,600 |      1.5
Oklahoma .....................|   1,748,200 |   1,774,800 |      26,600 |      1.5
Pennsylvania .................|   6,060,700 |   6,131,700 |      71,000 |      1.2
South Carolina ...............|   2,283,700 |   2,351,300 |      67,600 |      3.0
South Dakota .................|     458,400 |     468,300 |       9,900 |      2.2
                              |             |             |             |       
Texas ........................|  13,812,300 |  14,103,700 |     291,400 |      2.1
Utah .........................|   1,708,100 |   1,743,900 |      35,800 |      2.1
Virginia .....................|   4,151,600 |   4,209,900 |      58,300 |      1.4
Washington ...................|   3,583,900 |   3,630,800 |      46,900 |      1.3
West Virginia ................|     708,200 |     721,900 |      13,700 |      1.9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (p) = preliminary.



Last Modified Date: March 22, 2024