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Twenty-one states had jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. rate of 7.6 percent, May 2013

June 26, 2013

In May 2013, a total of 21 states had jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 7.6 percent, 8 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. Nevada had the highest unemployment rate among states (9.5 percent). North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate (3.2 percent).

Unemployment rates by state, seasonally adjusted, May 2013 (U.S. rate = 7.6 percent)
Unemployment rates by state, seasonally adjusted, May 2013 (U.S. rate = 7.6 percent)
StateUnemployment rate (p)Difference from U.S. unemployment rate

Alabama

6.8Not statistically different

Alaska

5.9Statistically significant, below

Arizona

7.8Not statistically different

Arkansas

7.3Not statistically different

California

8.6Statistically significant, above

Colorado

6.9Not statistically different

Connecticut

8.0Not statistically different

Delaware

7.2Not statistically different

District of Columbia

8.5Statistically significant, above

Florida

7.1Not statistically different

Georgia

8.3Statistically significant, above

Hawaii

4.7Statistically significant, below

Idaho

6.2Statistically significant, below

Illinois

9.1Statistically significant, above

Indiana

8.3Not statistically different

Iowa

4.6Statistically significant, below

Kansas

5.7Statistically significant, below

Kentucky

8.1Not statistically different

Louisiana

6.8Not statistically different

Maine

6.8Statistically significant, below

Maryland

6.7Statistically significant, below

Massachusetts

6.6Statistically significant, below

Michigan

8.4Not statistically different

Minnesota

5.3Statistically significant, below

Mississippi

9.1Statistically significant, above

Missouri

6.8Not statistically different

Montana

5.4Statistically significant, below

Nebraska

3.8Statistically significant, below

Nevada

9.5Statistically significant, above

New Hampshire

5.3Statistically significant, below

New Jersey

8.6Statistically significant, above

New Mexico

6.7Not statistically different

New York

7.6Not statistically different

North Carolina

8.8Statistically significant, above

North Dakota

3.2Statistically significant, below

Ohio

7.0Not statistically different

Oklahoma

5.0Statistically significant, below

Oregon

7.8Not statistically different

Pennsylvania

7.5Not statistically different

Rhode Island

8.9Statistically significant, above

South Carolina

8.0Not statistically different

South Dakota

4.0Statistically significant, below

Tennessee

8.3Not statistically different

Texas

6.5Statistically significant, below

Utah

4.6Statistically significant, below

Vermont

4.1Statistically significant, below

Virginia

5.3Statistically significant, below

Washington

6.8Not statistically different

West Virginia

6.2Statistically significant, below

Wisconsin

7.0Not statistically different

Wyoming

4.6Statistically significant, below

Footnotes:
(p) Preliminary.
 
Washington, 6.8%Oregon, 7.8%California, 8.6%Idaho, 6.2%Nevada, 9.5%Montana, 5.4%Wyoming, 4.6%Utah, 4.6%Arizona, 7.8%Colorado, 6.9%New Mexico, 6.7%North Dakota, 3.2%South Dakota, 4.0%Nebraska, 3.8%Kansas, 5.7%Oklahoma, 5.0%Texas, 6.5%Louisiana, 6.8%Arkansas, 7.3%Missouri, 6.8%Iowa, 4.6%Minnesota, 5.3%Alaska, 5.9%Hawaii, 4.7%Kentucky, 8.1%Tennessee, 8.3%Mississippi, 9.1%Alabama, 6.8%Florida, 7.1%Georgia, 8.3%South Carolina, 8.0%North Carolina, 8.8%Virginia, 5.3%District of Columbia, 8.5%West Virginia, 6.2%Maryland, 6.7%Delaware, 7.2%Wisconsin, 7.0%Illinois, 9.1%Michigan, 8.4%Indiana, 8.3%Ohio, 7.0%Pennsylvania, 7.5%New Jersey, 8.6%New York, 7.6%Connecticut, 8.0%Rhode Island, 8.9%Massachusetts, 6.6%Vermont, 4.1%New Hampshire, 5.3%Maine, 6.8%

 

Over the month, 6 states had statistically significant unemployment rate changes in May, of which four were declines and two were increases. The significant decreases occurred in California and West Virginia (-0.4 percentage point each) and Hawaii and New York (-0.2 point each). The increases were in Tennessee (+0.3 percentage point) and Kansas (+0.1 point). 

Over the year, 15 states had statistically significant changes from May 2012, all of which were declines.  The largest declines occurred in California (-2.1 percentage points) and Nevada (-2.0 points).

Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to have the highest jobless rate, 8.2 percent in May. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 5.4 percent. The Pacific had the only statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate change (-0.3 percentage point). Four divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier: the Pacific (-1.8 percentage points), Mountain (-1.0 point), South Atlantic (-0.9 point), and Middle Atlantic (-0.8 point).

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. Data for the most recent month are preliminary and subject to revision. To learn more, see "Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — May 2013" (HTML) (PDF), news release USDL‑13‑1180.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Twenty-one states had jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. rate of 7.6 percent, May 2013 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2013/ted_20130626.htm (visited October 06, 2024).

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