21 states added jobs from February 2019 to February 2020
March 31, 2020
From February 2019 to February 2020, 21 states had statistically significant increases in nonfarm payroll employment. The largest percentage gains occurred in Utah (2.9 percent), Washington (2.8 percent), and Arizona (2.7 percent). Employment decreased significantly in West Virginia (−11,000, or −1.5 percent).
Change in nonfarm employment by state, February 2019 to February 2020, seasonally adjusted
State
Percent change
February 2019 employment
February 2020 employment
Net change
Alabama
0.9%
2,066,900
2,085,300
18,400
Alaska
0.4
329,400
330,700
1,300
Arizona
2.7
2,910,400
2,987,800
77,400
Arkansas
-0.1
1,279,200
1,278,500
-700
California
1.6
17,343,500
17,612,500
269,000
Colorado
1.8
2,766,800
2,816,900
50,100
Connecticut
0.8
1,687,500
1,700,800
13,300
Delaware
1.2
464,900
470,600
5,700
District of Columbia
0.9
796,000
803,200
7,200
Florida
1.9
8,906,100
9,075,900
169,800
Georgia
1.1
4,601,500
4,650,300
48,800
Hawaii
0.0
658,900
659,000
100
Idaho
2.6
752,400
771,900
19,500
Illinois
0.3
6,114,700
6,133,000
18,300
Indiana
0.1
3,178,500
3,181,300
2,800
Iowa
-0.1
1,585,200
1,583,800
-1,400
Kansas
1.0
1,420,000
1,434,700
14,700
Kentucky
0.7
1,936,700
1,949,600
12,900
Louisiana
-0.1
1,996,600
1,994,600
-2,000
Maine
0.4
635,800
638,300
2,500
Maryland
1.2
2,768,100
2,800,700
32,600
Massachusetts
0.9
3,686,600
3,720,400
33,800
Michigan
0.7
4,431,500
4,463,500
32,000
Minnesota
0.2
2,973,600
2,979,600
6,000
Mississippi
0.5
1,158,500
1,164,100
5,600
Missouri
0.6
2,898,500
2,916,800
18,300
Montana
1.5
481,800
489,200
7,400
Nebraska
1.3
1,025,800
1,038,700
12,900
Nevada
1.3
1,410,300
1,428,600
18,300
New Hampshire
0.9
684,900
690,800
5,900
New Jersey
1.4
4,185,200
4,243,900
58,700
New Mexico
1.5
852,900
865,600
12,700
New York
0.9
9,766,400
9,850,700
84,300
North Carolina
1.3
4,556,000
4,614,600
58,600
North Dakota
0.9
438,000
441,900
3,900
Ohio
0.2
5,591,500
5,604,600
13,100
Oklahoma
0.0
1,703,600
1,702,800
-800
Oregon
1.4
1,930,200
1,956,800
26,600
Pennsylvania
1.1
6,047,600
6,112,200
64,600
Rhode Island
0.9
503,900
508,500
4,600
South Carolina
2.1
2,173,200
2,218,300
45,100
South Dakota
0.9
440,000
444,100
4,100
Tennessee
1.6
3,106,800
3,157,800
51,000
Texas
2.5
12,709,800
13,024,300
314,500
Utah
2.9
1,544,000
1,589,200
45,200
Vermont
-0.7
317,000
314,700
-2,300
Virginia
1.6
4,043,400
4,106,800
63,400
Washington
2.8
3,423,600
3,520,400
96,800
West Virginia
-1.5
723,400
712,400
-11,000
Wisconsin
0.6
2,980,400
2,998,200
17,800
Wyoming
-0.8
290,400
288,200
-2,200
The largest job gains over the 12-months ending February 2020 occurred in Texas (314,500), California (269,000), and Florida (169,800).
These data are from the Current Employment Statistics (State and Metro Area) program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary and subject to revision. To learn more, see “State Employment and Unemployment — February 2020 .” For more charts and tables related to state employment and unemployment, see the state chart package .
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