For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, March 28, 2025 USDL-25-0411
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 2025
Unemployment rates were higher in February in 1 state and stable in 49 states and the District
of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty states had jobless
rate increases from a year earlier, 1 state had a decrease, and 19 states and the District had
little change. The national unemployment rate changed little over the month at 4.1 percent but
was 0.2 percentage point higher than in February 2024.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 3 states and was essentially unchanged in 47 states
and the District of Columbia in February 2025. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment
increased in 17 states and was essentially unchanged in 33 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.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Current Employment Statistics (CES) Data Corrections |
| |
| This news release contains corrections to errors in previously released employment data |
| in table 3. A complete list of corrections in this news release and in the CES (State and |
| Area) database can be found at www.bls.gov/bls/errata/sae_errata.htm. |
|_____________________________________________________________________________________________|
Unemployment
South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in February, 1.9 percent. Nevada had the highest
unemployment rate, 5.8 percent. In total, 18 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S.
figure of 4.1 percent, 5 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 27 states
had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
In February, Florida had the only unemployment rate change (+0.1 percentage point). The
remaining 49 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 change. (See table B.)
Thirty states had unemployment rate increases from February 2024, the largest of which were in
Michigan (+1.4 percentage points) and Mississippi (+1.0 point). The only over-the-year rate
decrease occurred in Montana (-0.2 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 3 states and was essentially unchanged in 47 states
and the District of Columbia in February 2025. Job gains occurred in Ohio (+23,100, or +0.4
percent), New Jersey (+19,200, or +0.4 percent), and Missouri (+12,500, or +0.4 percent).
(See tables D and 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 17 states and was essentially unchanged
in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+182,300),
New York (+152,600), and Florida (+128,300). The largest percentage increase occurred in Idaho
(+2.7 percent), followed by South Carolina and Utah (+2.0 percent each). (See table E.)
_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for February is scheduled
to be released on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and
Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be released on Friday, April 18, 2025,
at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., February 2025, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 4.1
|
Alabama .............................| 3.3
California ..........................| 5.4
Connecticut .........................| 3.4
District of Columbia ................| 5.4
Florida .............................| 3.6
Georgia .............................| 3.6
Hawaii ..............................| 3.0
Illinois ............................| 4.8
Iowa ................................| 3.3
Kentucky ............................| 5.3
|
Maryland ............................| 3.0
Michigan ............................| 5.4
Minnesota ...........................| 3.0
Montana .............................| 2.8
Nebraska ............................| 3.0
Nevada ..............................| 5.8
New Hampshire .......................| 3.0
North Dakota ........................| 2.6
Oklahoma ............................| 3.3
South Dakota ........................| 1.9
|
Utah ................................| 3.2
Vermont .............................| 2.6
Virginia ............................| 3.1
Wisconsin ...........................| 3.2
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from January 2025 to February 2025, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | January | February | change(p)
| 2025 | 2025(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Florida ........................| 3.5 | 3.6 | 0.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from February 2024 to February 2025, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | February | February | change(p)
| 2024 | 2025(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 2.9 | 3.3 | 0.4
Arizona ........................| 3.4 | 4.0 | .6
California .....................| 5.1 | 5.4 | .3
Colorado .......................| 3.9 | 4.7 | .8
Florida ........................| 3.2 | 3.6 | .4
Georgia ........................| 3.3 | 3.6 | .3
Idaho ..........................| 3.5 | 3.7 | .2
Indiana ........................| 3.8 | 4.3 | .5
Iowa ...........................| 2.7 | 3.3 | .6
Kansas .........................| 3.2 | 3.8 | .6
| | |
Kentucky .......................| 4.7 | 5.3 | .6
Maine ..........................| 2.8 | 3.5 | .7
Massachusetts ..................| 3.8 | 4.3 | .5
Michigan .......................| 4.0 | 5.4 | 1.4
Mississippi ....................| 2.8 | 3.8 | 1.0
Montana ........................| 3.0 | 2.8 | -.2
Nebraska .......................| 2.6 | 3.0 | .4
Nevada .........................| 5.3 | 5.8 | .5
New Hampshire ..................| 2.3 | 3.0 | .7
New Mexico .....................| 3.8 | 4.4 | .6
| | |
New York .......................| 4.1 | 4.3 | .2
North Dakota ...................| 2.2 | 2.6 | .4
Ohio ...........................| 4.0 | 4.7 | .7
Oregon .........................| 4.1 | 4.5 | .4
Rhode Island ...................| 4.0 | 4.7 | .7
South Carolina .................| 3.5 | 4.2 | .7
Tennessee ......................| 3.1 | 3.7 | .6
Vermont ........................| 2.0 | 2.6 | .6
Virginia .......................| 2.8 | 3.1 | .3
Wisconsin ......................| 2.9 | 3.2 | .3
Wyoming ........................| 2.8 | 3.5 | .7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
January 2025 to February 2025, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | January | February |---------------------------
| 2025 | 2025(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missouri .....................| 2,981,400 | 2,993,900 | 12,500 | 0.4
New Jersey ...................| 4,382,800 | 4,402,000 | 19,200 | .4
Ohio .........................| 5,658,000 | 5,681,100 | 23,100 | .4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
February 2024 to February 2025, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | February | February |---------------------------
| 2024 | 2025(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska .......................| 331,900 | 338,000 | 6,100 | 1.8
Arkansas .....................| 1,360,800 | 1,379,200 | 18,400 | 1.4
Florida ......................| 9,895,800 | 10,024,100 | 128,300 | 1.3
Hawaii .......................| 637,300 | 647,400 | 10,100 | 1.6
Idaho ........................| 855,300 | 878,100 | 22,800 | 2.7
Minnesota ....................| 2,997,900 | 3,037,500 | 39,600 | 1.3
Mississippi ..................| 1,184,400 | 1,200,800 | 16,400 | 1.4
New Jersey ...................| 4,356,200 | 4,402,000 | 45,800 | 1.1
New York .....................| 9,813,400 | 9,966,000 | 152,600 | 1.6
North Carolina ...............| 4,998,300 | 5,063,200 | 64,900 | 1.3
| | | |
Oklahoma .....................| 1,774,800 | 1,797,100 | 22,300 | 1.3
Pennsylvania .................| 6,121,100 | 6,190,800 | 69,700 | 1.1
South Carolina ...............| 2,339,900 | 2,387,200 | 47,300 | 2.0
Texas ........................| 14,071,900 | 14,254,200 | 182,300 | 1.3
Utah .........................| 1,734,000 | 1,769,500 | 35,500 | 2.0
Virginia .....................| 4,212,000 | 4,266,100 | 54,100 | 1.3
Washington ...................| 3,619,700 | 3,660,500 | 40,800 | 1.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
United States Department of Labor
