State over-the-month and over-the-year unemployment rate changes, April 2010

State unemployment rates were generally little changed or slightly lower in April; 34 states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases from March 2010 to April 2010, 6 states had increases, and 10 states had no change.

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From April 2009 to April 2010, 38 states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate increases, 10 states had decreases, and 2 states had no change.

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Minnesota reported the largest rate decrease from a year earlier (-1.1 percentage points). Vermont and North Dakota experienced the only other significant rate decreases (-0.8 and -0.6 percentage point, respectively).

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. See "Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — April 2010" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-10-0689, to learn more.