26 states added jobs from December 2018 to December 2019
January 28, 2020
From December 2018 to December 2019, 26 states had statistically significant over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (342,800), California (310,300), and Florida (212,000). The largest percentage gains occurred in Utah (3.1 percent), Idaho (2.9 percent), and Arizona (2.8 percent).
Change in nonfarm employment by state, December 2018 to December 2019, seasonally adjusted
State
Percent change
December 2018 employment
December 2019 employment
Net change
Statistically significant?
Utah
3.1%
1,540,300
1,588,200
47,900
Yes
Idaho
2.9
742,300
763,900
21,600
Yes
Arizona
2.8
2,891,000
2,971,800
80,800
Yes
Texas
2.7
12,633,900
12,976,700
342,800
Yes
Florida
2.4
8,892,000
9,104,000
212,000
Yes
Washington
2.4
3,444,200
3,528,400
84,200
Yes
Alabama
2.2
2,057,600
2,103,300
45,700
Yes
Colorado
2.1
2,746,900
2,803,500
56,600
Yes
North Carolina
2.1
4,499,700
4,593,600
93,900
Yes
Nevada
1.9
1,412,700
1,440,100
27,400
Yes
Oregon
1.9
1,920,900
1,957,700
36,800
Yes
California
1.8
17,302,200
17,612,500
310,300
Yes
New Mexico
1.8
846,200
861,800
15,600
Yes
Rhode Island
1.7
497,700
506,300
8,600
Yes
Tennessee
1.6
3,087,300
3,136,500
49,200
Yes
Georgia
1.5
4,587,000
4,653,700
66,700
Yes
Nebraska
1.5
1,023,800
1,039,500
15,700
Yes
Arkansas
1.4
1,269,400
1,287,700
18,300
Yes
District of Columbia
1.4
793,100
804,000
10,900
No
Kansas
1.4
1,423,300
1,443,400
20,100
Yes
Delaware
1.3
464,200
470,400
6,200
No
South Carolina
1.3
2,166,500
2,193,700
27,200
Yes
Maine
1.2
627,900
635,300
7,400
No
Massachusetts
1.2
3,649,200
3,694,000
44,800
Yes
Maryland
1.1
2,759,700
2,790,700
31,000
Yes
New York
1.1
9,714,600
9,821,800
107,200
Yes
Virginia
1.1
4,008,600
4,053,800
45,200
Yes
New Hampshire
0.9
683,700
690,100
6,400
No
New Jersey
0.9
4,179,100
4,218,100
39,000
Yes
South Dakota
0.9
445,600
449,500
3,900
No
Hawaii
0.8
659,200
664,200
5,000
No
Montana
0.8
481,300
485,000
3,700
No
Illinois
0.7
6,148,300
6,193,300
45,000
Yes
Kentucky
0.7
1,940,000
1,953,600
13,600
No
Missouri
0.7
2,894,100
2,914,200
20,100
No
Louisiana
0.5
1,982,200
1,991,200
9,000
No
Mississippi
0.5
1,162,600
1,168,700
6,100
No
North Dakota
0.5
434,600
436,900
2,300
No
Ohio
0.5
5,583,300
5,610,600
27,300
No
Pennsylvania
0.5
6,030,700
6,063,400
32,700
No
Michigan
0.4
4,432,200
4,451,700
19,500
No
Connecticut
0.2
1,696,800
1,700,400
3,600
No
Minnesota
0.2
2,961,100
2,967,400
6,300
No
Wisconsin
0.2
2,984,500
2,991,500
7,000
No
Indiana
0.1
3,161,100
3,165,500
4,400
No
Alaska
0.0
329,100
329,200
100
No
Iowa
-0.2
1,593,400
1,591,000
-2,400
No
Oklahoma
-0.3
1,696,200
1,691,400
-4,800
No
Vermont
-0.3
316,600
315,500
-1,100
No
West Virginia
-0.4
730,400
727,500
-2,900
No
Wyoming
-1.1
288,900
285,800
-3,100
No
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 — December 2019 .” For more charts and tables related to state employment and unemployment, see the state chart package .
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