Unemployment by geographic region and division, February 2012

In February, the West region reported the highest regional unemployment rate, 9.6 percent, while the Midwest region recorded the lowest rate, 7.5 percent.

[Chart data]

From January 2012 to February 2012, the Midwest and South regions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate changes (−0.2 percentage point each).

From February 2011 to February 2012, the West region registered the largest of three measurable rate changes (−1.0 percentage point), followed by the Midwest and South (−0.9 point each).

In February, among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific division reported the highest jobless rate, 10.2 percent. The West North Central registered the lowest rate, 5.9 percent.

Over the month, two divisions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate changes: the East North Central (−0.2 percentage point) and South Atlantic (−0.1 point). Eight divisions had measurable unemployment rate declines from a year earlier, the largest of which occurred in the East South Central (−1.4 percentage points). No division recorded an unemployment rate increase from February 2011.

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. See "Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — February 2012" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL-12-0553.