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Unemployment rates down in 11 states from August 2017 to August 2018

September 27, 2018

Over the year ended in August 2018, 11 states had statistically significant unemployment rate changes, all of which were decreases. The largest decline occurred in New Mexico, where the jobless rate decreased from 6.0 percent to 4.6 percent, a change of −1.4 percentage points.

Unemployment rate and 12-month change in unemployment rate, by state, August 2018, seasonally adjusted
State Unemployment rate, August 2018 Over-the-year change Statistically significant

Alabama

4.1% 0.1 percentage point No

Alaska

6.7 -0.5 Yes

Arizona

4.6 -0.1 No

Arkansas

3.6 -0.1 No

California

4.2 -0.4 Yes

Colorado

2.9 0.0 No

Connecticut

4.3 -0.2 No

Delaware

3.9 -0.7 Yes

District of Columbia

5.6 -0.5 No

Florida

3.7 -0.3 No

Georgia

3.8 -0.7 Yes

Hawaii

2.1 -0.1 No

Idaho

2.8 -0.3 No

Illinois

4.1 -0.9 Yes

Indiana

3.5 -0.1 No

Iowa

2.5 -0.5 Yes

Kansas

3.3 -0.3 No

Kentucky

4.4 -0.5 No

Louisiana

5.0 0.1 No

Maine

3.2 -0.2 No

Maryland

4.2 0.2 No

Massachusetts

3.6 0.0 No

Michigan

4.1 -0.5 No

Minnesota

2.9 -0.5 No

Mississippi

4.8 -0.2 No

Missouri

3.3 -0.3 No

Montana

3.6 -0.5 No

Nebraska

2.8 -0.1 No

Nevada

4.5 -0.4 No

New Hampshire

2.7 0.0 No

New Jersey

4.2 -0.5 No

New Mexico

4.6 -1.4 Yes

New York

4.2 -0.5 Yes

North Carolina

3.9 -0.5 No

North Dakota

2.6 0.0 No

Ohio

4.6 -0.4 No

Oklahoma

3.7 -0.5 No

Oregon

3.8 -0.4 No

Pennsylvania

4.1 -0.7 Yes

Rhode Island

4.0 -0.4 No

South Carolina

3.4 -0.8 Yes

South Dakota

3.0 -0.4 No

Tennessee

3.6 0.2 No

Texas

3.9 -0.1 No

Utah

3.1 -0.1 No

Vermont

2.8 -0.2 No

Virginia

3.0 -0.7 Yes

Washington

4.5 -0.3 No

West Virginia

5.3 0.1 No

Wisconsin

3.0 -0.3 No

Wyoming

3.9 -0.2 No

Note: Data for the most recent month are preliminary.

In August 2018, Illinois, South Carolina, Delaware, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia were the only other states that had 12-month unemployment rate decreases of −0.7 percentage point or more. Unemployment rates in these states ranged from 3.0 percent in Virginia to 4.1 percent in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

In August 2018, Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent. The rates in Idaho (2.8 percent), Oregon (3.8 percent), South Carolina (3.4 percent), and Washington (4.5 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.7 percent.

The state unemployment data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. See "State Employment and Unemployment — August 2018" to learn more. Also see the Charts related to the latest "State Employment and Unemployment" news release.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rates down in 11 states from August 2017 to August 2018 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/unemployment-rates-down-in-11-states-from-august-2017-to-august-2018.htm (visited October 31, 2024).

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