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The map and table originally said the changes in rates were "not seasonally adjusted." The rates and changes in them are seasonally adjusted. The titles have been corrected.
Unemployment rates lower in five states from August 2018 to August 2019
September 25, 2019
Five states had statistically significant jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 2 states had significant increases, and 43 states and the District of Columbia had little or no change. The national unemployment rate, 3.7 percent, was little changed from August 2018.
Over-the-year change in unemployment rates by state, August 2019, seasonally adjusted
State
12-month change
August 2019 unemployment rate
August 2018 unemployment rate
Alabama
-0.8 percentage point(s)
3.1%
3.9%
Alaska
-0.3
6.2
6.5
Arizona
0.2
5.0
4.8
Arkansas
-0.2
3.4
3.6
California
0.0
4.1
4.1
Colorado
-0.6
2.8
3.4
Connecticut
-0.4
3.6
4.0
Delaware
-0.3
3.4
3.7
District of Columbia
0.1
5.5
5.4
Florida
-0.1
3.3
3.4
Georgia
-0.2
3.6
3.8
Hawaii
0.2
2.7
2.5
Idaho
0.1
2.9
2.8
Illinois
-0.2
4.0
4.2
Indiana
-0.2
3.3
3.5
Iowa
0.1
2.5
2.4
Kansas
-0.1
3.2
3.3
Kentucky
0.0
4.4
4.4
Louisiana
-0.6
4.3
4.9
Maine
-0.6
2.9
3.5
Maryland
0.0
3.8
3.8
Massachusetts
-0.4
2.9
3.3
Michigan
0.3
4.2
3.9
Minnesota
0.5
3.3
2.8
Mississippi
0.5
5.2
4.7
Missouri
0.2
3.2
3.0
Montana
-0.4
3.3
3.7
Nebraska
0.4
3.1
2.7
Nevada
-0.4
4.1
4.5
New Hampshire
0.0
2.5
2.5
New Jersey
-0.8
3.2
4.0
New Mexico
0.1
4.9
4.8
New York
0.1
4.0
3.9
North Carolina
0.5
4.2
3.7
North Dakota
-0.2
2.4
2.6
Ohio
-0.5
4.1
4.6
Oklahoma
0.1
3.2
3.1
Oregon
-0.1
4.0
4.1
Pennsylvania
-0.3
3.9
4.2
Rhode Island
-0.3
3.6
3.9
South Carolina
0.0
3.2
3.2
South Dakota
-0.1
2.9
3.0
Tennessee
0.0
3.5
3.5
Texas
-0.3
3.4
3.7
Utah
-0.3
2.8
3.1
Vermont
-0.5
2.1
2.6
Virginia
0.0
2.8
2.8
Washington
0.2
4.6
4.4
West Virginia
-0.5
4.6
5.1
Wisconsin
0.1
3.1
3.0
Wyoming
-0.5
3.7
4.2
Puerto Rico
-0.8
7.7
8.5
The largest unemployment rate declines from August 2018 were in Alabama and New Jersey (−0.8 percentage point each). Two states had statistically significant over-the-year rate increases: Minnesota (+0.5 percentage point) and Nebraska (+0.4 point).
Vermont had the lowest unemployment rate in August 2019, at 2.1 percent. The rates in Alabama (3.1 percent), Alaska (6.2 percent), Illinois (4.0 percent), Maine (2.9 percent), and New Jersey (3.2 percent) set new series lows (All state series begin in 1976). Alaska had the highest jobless rate of 6.2 percent.
United States Department of Labor
