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Payroll employment up in 11 states, down in 3 states, in February 2021

March 30, 2021

Nonfarm payroll employment changed significantly in 14 states in February 2021, increasing in 11 states and decreasing in 3 states. Employment was essentially unchanged in the remaining 36 states and the District of Columbia. From February 2020 to February 2021, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 48 states and the District and was essentially unchanged in 2 states.

States with statistically significant employment changes from January 2021 to February 2021, seasonally adjusted
State Over-the-month, January 2021 to February 2021 Over-the-year, February 2020 to February 2021
Percent change Employment change Percent change Employment change

Michigan

1.6% 63,500 -7.5% -332,300

California

0.9 141,000 -9.4 -1,662,000

New Mexico

0.9 7,000 -8.9 -77,100

Washington

0.9 28,700 -6.0 -212,500

Oregon

0.8 13,900 -7.8 -153,900

Alaska

0.7 2,000 -7.3 -24,100

Minnesota

0.5 13,900 -7.0 -211,200

Utah

0.5 7,900 0.4 5,800

Illinois

0.4 21,100 -7.5 -461,200

Massachusetts

0.4 14,100 -8.7 -325,100

North Carolina

0.3 14,400 -3.8 -173,700

Missouri

-0.4 -11,600 -4.5 -130,500

Mississippi

-0.6 -7,000 -4.0 -47,000

Oklahoma

-0.7 -10,700 -5.4 -91,900

Note: Data for the most recent month are preliminary

The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Michigan (+1.6 percent), followed by California, New Mexico, and Washington (+0.9 percent each). Employment decreased in Oklahoma (−0.7 percent), and Mississippi (−0.6 percent), and Missouri (−0.4 percent).

Over the year, the largest percentage declines occurred in Hawaii (−17.8 percent), New York (−10.8 percent), and Nevada (−10.6 percent), though these states did not have significant employment changes in February 2021.

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. To learn more, see "State Employment and Unemployment — February 2021." For more charts and tables related to state employment and unemployment, see the state chart package.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Payroll employment up in 11 states, down in 3 states, in February 2021 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/payroll-employment-up-in-11-states-down-in-3-states-in-february-2021.htm (visited March 28, 2024).

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