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Economic News Release
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Regional and State Unemployment, 2023 Annual Average Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, March 1, 2024                                      USDL-24-0397

Technical information:  (202) 691-6392  *  lausinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/lau 
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov


                     REGIONAL AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT -- 2023 ANNUAL AVERAGES


In 2023, annual average unemployment rates decreased in 6 states, increased in 2 states, and
were little changed in 42 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios increased in 10 states and were little
changed in 40 states and the District. The U.S. jobless rate was unchanged over the year at
3.6 percent, while the national employment-population ratio rose by 0.3 percentage point to
60.3 percent.

Regional Unemployment

In 2023, the West was the only census region to post a change in its annual average unemployment
rate from 2022 (+0.2 percentage point). The Midwest, 3.4 percent, and South, 3.3 percent,
registered jobless rates lower than the U.S. rate in 2023, while the West, 4.2 percent, had
a rate higher than the national figure. The unemployment rates in the Midwest and South were 
the lowest in their annual average series. All region, division, and state series begin in 1976.
(See table 1.)

The Pacific was the only census division that had an over-the-year unemployment rate change in
2023 (+0.3 percentage point). The West North Central had the lowest jobless rate, 2.8 percent.
The highest jobless rates among the divisions were in the Pacific, 4.5 percent, and Middle
Atlantic, 4.0 percent. The East South Central, New England, South Atlantic, and West North Central
divisions had rates below the national figure, while the Middle Atlantic and Pacific divisions
had rates above it. The rates in the East South Central (3.3 percent) and South Atlantic (3.0 
percent) set new annual average series lows.

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________
|											       |
|                     Changes to Local Area Unemployment Statistics Data		       |
|											       |
| Effective with this news release, data for regions, divisions, states, the District of       |
| Columbia, and modeled substate areas have been re-estimated from 2019 through 2023. The      |
| annual average data shown in tables 1 and 2 were affected, as were monthly seasonally        |
| adjusted and not seasonally adjusted data. Information on these data revisions is available  |
| at www.bls.gov/lau/launews1.htm.							       |
|______________________________________________________________________________________________|


State Unemployment

Six states had unemployment rate decreases in 2023, the largest of which were in Maryland (-0.9
percentage point) and Pennsylvania (-0.7 point). The only two states with over-the-year rate
increases were California and New Jersey (+0.5 percentage point each). The remaining 42 states
and the District of Columbia had annual average jobless rates in 2023 that were not appreciably
different from those of the previous year, though some had changes that were at least as large
numerically as the significant changes. (See table A.)

North Dakota had the lowest jobless rate among the states in 2023, 1.9 percent. Nevada had the
highest unemployment rate, 5.1 percent. Overall, 23 states had unemployment rates lower than the
U.S. figure of 3.6 percent, 6 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 21 states
had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. Six states set new annual
average series low unemployment rates in 2023: Maryland (2.1 percent), Mississippi (3.2 percent),
North Dakota (1.9 percent), Ohio (3.5 percent), Pennsylvania (3.4 percent), and Vermont (2.0
percent). (See table B.)

Regional Employment-Population Ratios

In 2023, three census regions had increases in their employment-population ratios--the proportion
of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over who are employed. The 
Northeast had the largest ratio increase (+0.6 percentage point), followed by the Midwest (+0.4
point) and South (+0.3 point). The Midwest had the highest employment-population ratio, 62.1 
percent, while the South had the lowest ratio, 59.3 percent. (See table 2.)

Five census divisions had over-the-year increases in their employment-population ratios in 2023,
the largest of which was in the Middle Atlantic (+0.8 percentage point). Three divisions had ratios
notably higher than the U.S. ratio of 60.3 percent: the West North Central, 64.8 percent; New
England, 62.1 percent; and Mountain, 62.0 percent. Three divisions had ratios that were lower
than the national average: the East South Central, 55.8 percent; South Atlantic, 59.5 percent; and
Pacific, 59.6 percent.

State Employment-Population Ratios

In 2023, the largest employment-population ratio increase among the states occurred in Michigan
(+1.6 percentage points), followed by Vermont and Virginia (+1.3 points each). Seven other states
also had significant increases in their ratios. The remaining 40 states and the District of Columbia
had ratios that were not notably different from those of the previous year, though some had changes
that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See table C.)

The District of Columbia had the highest proportion of employed people in 2023, 68.2 percent, which
also set a new high in its annual average series. The next highest ratios were in North Dakota, 67.9
percent, and Utah, 67.7 percent. Mississippi and West Virginia had the lowest employment-population
ratios among the states, 52.3 percent and 52.8 percent, respectively. Overall, 21 states and the 
District had employment-population ratios higher than the U.S. ratio of 60.3 percent, 16 states had
lower ratios, and 13 states had ratios that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
(See table D.)

_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2024 is scheduled to be released
on Monday, March 11, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news
release for January 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).



Table A.  States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes, 
2022-23 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Rate           |               
                                |-------------------------| Over-the-year 
             State              |            |            |  rate change  
                                |    2022    |    2023    |               
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
California .....................|     4.3    |     4.8    |       0.5
Maryland .......................|     3.0    |     2.1    |       -.9
Mississippi ....................|     3.8    |     3.2    |       -.6
New Jersey .....................|     3.9    |     4.4    |        .5
Ohio ...........................|     4.0    |     3.5    |       -.5
Pennsylvania ...................|     4.1    |     3.4    |       -.7
Vermont ........................|     2.3    |     2.0    |       -.3
Wyoming ........................|     3.4    |     2.9    |       -.5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Table B.  States with unemployment rates significantly differ-
ent from that of the U.S., 2023 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Rate
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................|           3.6
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           2.5
California ..........................|           4.8
District of Columbia ................|           4.9
Florida .............................|           2.9
Georgia .............................|           3.2
Hawaii ..............................|           3.0
Idaho ...............................|           3.1
Illinois ............................|           4.5
Iowa ................................|           2.9
Kansas ..............................|           2.7
                                     |
Maine ...............................|           2.9
Maryland ............................|           2.1
Minnesota ...........................|           2.8
Missouri ............................|           3.0
Montana .............................|           2.9
Nebraska ............................|           2.3
Nevada ..............................|           5.1
New Hampshire .......................|           2.2
New Jersey ..........................|           4.4
New York ............................|           4.2
                                     |
North Dakota ........................|           1.9
Rhode Island ........................|           3.0
South Carolina ......................|           3.0
South Dakota ........................|           2.0
Texas ...............................|           3.9
Utah ................................|           2.6
Vermont .............................|           2.0
Virginia ............................|           2.9
Wisconsin ...........................|           3.0
Wyoming .............................|           2.9
--------------------------------------------------------------


Table C.  States with statistically significant employment-population 
ratio changes, 2022-23 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                |          Ratio          |               
                                |-------------------------| Over-the-year 
             State              |            |            | ratio change  
                                |    2022    |    2023    |               
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
Florida ........................|    57.3    |    57.9    |       0.6
Maryland .......................|    62.8    |    63.7    |        .9
Michigan .......................|    57.9    |    59.5    |       1.6
Nevada .........................|    58.4    |    59.5    |       1.1
New Mexico .....................|    54.2    |    55.1    |        .9
New York .......................|    57.6    |    58.6    |       1.0
Oklahoma .......................|    59.9    |    60.9    |       1.0
Pennsylvania ...................|    59.3    |    60.1    |        .8
Vermont ........................|    62.1    |    63.4    |       1.3
Virginia .......................|    63.2    |    64.5    |       1.3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Table D.  States with employment-population ratios significantly
different from that of the U.S., 2023 annual averages
----------------------------------------------------------------
                State                |          Ratio          
----------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................|           60.3
                                     |
Alabama .............................|           55.8
Alaska ..............................|           62.4
Arkansas ............................|           55.6
California ..........................|           59.1
Colorado ............................|           66.2
Connecticut .........................|           61.8
Delaware ............................|           58.5
District of Columbia ................|           68.2
Florida .............................|           57.9
Hawaii ..............................|           58.4
                                     |
Illinois ............................|           61.4
Iowa ................................|           65.8
Kansas ..............................|           64.8
Kentucky ............................|           54.8
Louisiana ...........................|           56.5
Maine ...............................|           57.5
Maryland ............................|           63.7
Massachusetts .......................|           62.9
Minnesota ...........................|           66.4
Mississippi .........................|           52.3
                                     |
Nebraska ............................|           67.5
New Hampshire .......................|           63.6
New Jersey ..........................|           62.0
New Mexico ..........................|           55.1
New York ............................|           58.6
North Carolina ......................|           58.9
North Dakota ........................|           67.9
South Carolina ......................|           55.7
South Dakota ........................|           66.8
Tennessee ...........................|           57.9
                                     |
Texas ...............................|           61.9
Utah ................................|           67.7
Vermont .............................|           63.4
Virginia ............................|           64.5
Washington ..........................|           61.7
West Virginia .......................|           52.8
Wisconsin ...........................|           63.8
Wyoming .............................|           62.1
----------------------------------------------------------------



Last Modified Date: March 01, 2024