For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, September 20, 2024 USDL-24-1922
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 -- AUGUST 2024
Unemployment rates were higher in August in 6 states and the District of Columbia, lower in
1 state, and stable in 43 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Twenty-five states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 4
states had decreases, and 21 states had little change. The national unemployment rate
changed little over the month at 4.2 percent but was 0.4 percentage point higher than in
August 2023.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 4 states, decreased in 1 state, and was essentially
unchanged in 45 states and the District of Columbia in August 2024. Over the year, nonfarm
payroll employment increased in 30 states and was essentially unchanged in 20 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 August, 2.0 percent, followed by Vermont, 2.2
percent, and North Dakota, 2.3 percent. The District of Columbia had the highest unemployment
rate, 5.7 percent, followed by Nevada, 5.5 percent. In total, 27 states had unemployment
rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.2 percent, 4 states and the District had higher rates,
and 19 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
(See tables A and 1.)
In August, six states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases, the
largest of which was in South Carolina (+0.4 percentage point). Connecticut had the only rate
decrease (-0.2 percentage point). Forty-three states 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-five states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases from August
2023, the largest of which was in Rhode Island (+1.7 percentage points). Four states had
over-the-year rate decreases, the largest of which was in Arizona (-0.7 percentage point).
Twenty-one states 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, decreased in 1 state, and was essentially
unchanged in 45 states and the District of Columbia in August 2024. Job gains occurred in
Texas (+78,000, or +0.6 percent), Indiana (+19,800, or +0.6 percent), Minnesota (+14,400,
or +0.5 percent), and Wisconsin (+11,600, or +0.4 percent). Meanwhile, job losses occurred
in South Dakota (-3,100, or -0.7 percent). (See tables D and 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states and was essentially unchanged
in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+302,400),
California (+287,100), and Florida (+207,400). The largest percentage increases occurred in
Missouri and South Carolina (+3.3 percent each), followed by Montana (+3.1 percent).
(See table E.)
_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for August is scheduled
to be released on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment
and Unemployment news release for September is scheduled to be released on Tuesday,
October 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., August 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 4.2
|
Alabama .............................| 2.8
Arizona .............................| 3.4
Arkansas ............................| 3.3
California ..........................| 5.3
Connecticut .........................| 3.4
District of Columbia ................| 5.7
Florida .............................| 3.3
Georgia .............................| 3.6
Hawaii ..............................| 2.9
Idaho ...............................| 3.5
|
Illinois ............................| 5.3
Iowa ................................| 2.9
Kansas ..............................| 3.3
Maine ...............................| 2.8
Maryland ............................| 2.9
Minnesota ...........................| 3.3
Mississippi .........................| 2.7
Montana .............................| 3.2
Nebraska ............................| 2.7
Nevada ..............................| 5.5
|
New Hampshire .......................| 2.6
North Dakota ........................| 2.3
Oklahoma ............................| 3.4
Pennsylvania ........................| 3.4
South Dakota ........................| 2.0
Tennessee ...........................| 3.1
Utah ................................| 3.3
Vermont .............................| 2.2
Virginia ............................| 2.8
Washington ..........................| 4.8
Wisconsin ...........................| 2.9
Wyoming .............................| 3.0
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from July 2024 to August 2024, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | July | August | change(p)
| 2024 | 2024(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connecticut ....................| 3.6 | 3.4 | -0.2
District of Columbia ...........| 5.5 | 5.7 | .2
Georgia ........................| 3.4 | 3.6 | .2
Massachusetts ..................| 3.5 | 3.7 | .2
Minnesota ......................| 3.2 | 3.3 | .1
North Dakota ...................| 2.2 | 2.3 | .1
South Carolina .................| 3.9 | 4.3 | .4
Utah ...........................| 3.2 | 3.3 | .1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from August 2023 to August 2024, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | August | August | change(p)
| 2023 | 2024(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 2.5 | 2.8 | 0.3
Arizona ........................| 4.1 | 3.4 | -.7
California .....................| 4.8 | 5.3 | .5
Colorado .......................| 3.2 | 4.0 | .8
Connecticut ....................| 3.8 | 3.4 | -.4
District of Columbia ...........| 4.8 | 5.7 | .9
Florida ........................| 3.0 | 3.3 | .3
Georgia ........................| 3.2 | 3.6 | .4
Idaho ..........................| 3.2 | 3.5 | .3
Illinois .......................| 4.6 | 5.3 | .7
| | |
Indiana ........................| 3.4 | 4.2 | .8
Kansas .........................| 2.6 | 3.3 | .7
Kentucky .......................| 4.2 | 4.8 | .6
Maryland .......................| 2.1 | 2.9 | .8
Massachusetts ..................| 3.3 | 3.7 | .4
Michigan .......................| 4.0 | 4.5 | .5
Minnesota ......................| 2.9 | 3.3 | .4
Mississippi ....................| 3.2 | 2.7 | -.5
Missouri .......................| 3.2 | 3.9 | .7
Nebraska .......................| 2.4 | 2.7 | .3
| | |
Nevada .........................| 5.1 | 5.5 | .4
New Hampshire ..................| 2.3 | 2.6 | .3
North Carolina .................| 3.5 | 3.8 | .3
North Dakota ...................| 1.8 | 2.3 | .5
Ohio ...........................| 3.5 | 4.5 | 1.0
Rhode Island ...................| 2.9 | 4.6 | 1.7
South Carolina .................| 2.9 | 4.3 | 1.4
Utah ...........................| 2.7 | 3.3 | .6
Washington .....................| 4.1 | 4.8 | .7
Wisconsin ......................| 3.3 | 2.9 | -.4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
July 2024 to August 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | July | August |---------------------------
| 2024 | 2024(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indiana ......................| 3,281,700 | 3,301,500 | 19,800 | 0.6
Minnesota ....................| 3,013,400 | 3,027,800 | 14,400 | .5
South Dakota .................| 467,800 | 464,700 | -3,100 | -.7
Texas ........................| 14,161,200 | 14,239,200 | 78,000 | .6
Wisconsin ....................| 3,035,700 | 3,047,300 | 11,600 | .4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
August 2023 to August 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | August | August |---------------------------
| 2023 | 2024(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................| 2,170,000 | 2,217,000 | 47,000 | 2.2
Alaska .......................| 329,100 | 338,400 | 9,300 | 2.8
Arizona ......................| 3,193,200 | 3,259,000 | 65,800 | 2.1
Arkansas .....................| 1,352,300 | 1,373,900 | 21,600 | 1.6
California ...................| 17,803,900 | 18,091,000 | 287,100 | 1.6
Colorado .....................| 2,955,500 | 2,997,400 | 41,900 | 1.4
Florida ......................| 9,773,500 | 9,980,900 | 207,400 | 2.1
Georgia ......................| 4,910,500 | 4,982,700 | 72,200 | 1.5
Idaho ........................| 850,400 | 873,500 | 23,100 | 2.7
Indiana ......................| 3,241,800 | 3,301,500 | 59,700 | 1.8
| | | |
Iowa .........................| 1,589,300 | 1,609,400 | 20,100 | 1.3
Kansas .......................| 1,441,200 | 1,461,200 | 20,000 | 1.4
Massachusetts ................| 3,709,700 | 3,749,700 | 40,000 | 1.1
Minnesota ....................| 2,987,200 | 3,027,800 | 40,600 | 1.4
Missouri .....................| 2,968,300 | 3,066,800 | 98,500 | 3.3
Montana ......................| 521,400 | 537,700 | 16,300 | 3.1
Nebraska .....................| 1,050,000 | 1,072,300 | 22,300 | 2.1
Nevada .......................| 1,537,500 | 1,584,300 | 46,800 | 3.0
New Jersey ...................| 4,319,800 | 4,369,400 | 49,600 | 1.1
New York .....................| 9,737,300 | 9,878,200 | 140,900 | 1.4
| | | |
North Carolina ...............| 4,951,100 | 5,025,200 | 74,100 | 1.5
Oklahoma .....................| 1,755,400 | 1,782,300 | 26,900 | 1.5
Pennsylvania .................| 6,097,400 | 6,200,000 | 102,600 | 1.7
South Carolina ...............| 2,313,100 | 2,388,600 | 75,500 | 3.3
Texas ........................| 13,936,800 | 14,239,200 | 302,400 | 2.2
Utah .........................| 1,725,900 | 1,763,000 | 37,100 | 2.1
Vermont ......................| 309,400 | 315,600 | 6,200 | 2.0
Virginia .....................| 4,179,500 | 4,241,100 | 61,600 | 1.5
Washington ...................| 3,601,000 | 3,670,800 | 69,800 | 1.9
Wisconsin ....................| 3,012,000 | 3,047,300 | 35,300 | 1.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
United States Department of Labor
