The New England unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 5.2 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Deborah A. Brown noted that New England’s jobless rate declined from a year ago when it was 6.2 percent. The national jobless rate was unchanged from February at 5.5 percent and was 1.1 percentage points lower than in March 2014. (See chart 1.)

New England is 1 of 9 geographic divisions nationwide. Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific had the highest jobless rate, 6.3 percent in March. The West North Central division had the lowest unemployment rate at 4.2 percent. All nine divisions had statistically significant rate declines from a year earlier.

 

In March, 5 of the 6 New England states had jobless rates that were significantly different from that of the United States. Vermont (3.8 percent), New Hampshire (3.9 percent), and Maine (4.8 percent) had significantly lower unemployment rates and were among 20 states in the country to do so. In contrast, Connecticut (6.4 percent) and Rhode Island (6.3 percent) were among the 11 states and the District of Columbia with unemployment rates measurably higher than the national average. Massachusetts and 18 other states had unemployment rates not appreciably different from that of the nation.

Maine (-0.2 percentage point) and Vermont (-0.1 point) were among the 10 states nationwide that had statistically significant unemployment rate decreases over the month. Four states nationwide had significant over-the-month rate increases. The remaining 4 New England states were among the 36 states and the District of Columbia that had unemployment rates that were not measurably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.

Over the year, four New England states had statistically significant unemployment rate changes, all decreases. Rhode Island had the largest decline (-1.9 percentage points), followed by Massachusetts (-1.1 points), Maine (-1.0 point) and New Hampshire (-0.6 point). Across the country, 23 additional states reported statistically significant unemployment rate declines from March 2014. Nationwide, two states had statistically significant over-the-year rate increases; Louisiana and North Dakota. Connecticut and Vermont were among the 21 states and the District of Columbia that had unemployment rates that were not appreciably different from a year ago.

The Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release for April 2015 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

Technical Note

This release presents civilian labor force and unemployment data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. Estimates for the U.S. are obtained directly from the CPS, which is a sample survey of approximately 60,000 households nationwide that is conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the Census Bureau. The LAUS program produces data for subnational areas, including the nine geographic divisions (New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, East South Central, West South Central, East North Central, West North Central, Mountain, and Pacific) and the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The LAUS data for geographic divisions and states are model-based. The models for geographic divisions use inputs from the CPS only, while the models for the states and the District of Columbia use inputs from the CPS in conjunction with estimates of nonfarm payroll employment from the Current Employment Statistics survey and counts of unemployment insurance claimants from the state workforce agencies. Each month, not-seasonally-adjusted estimates for geographic divisions are controlled to the national totals from the CPS, and state estimates are then controlled to the estimates for their divisions. Data for all divisions, as well as the 50 states and the District of Columbia, are available in the Regional and State Employment and Unemployment release www.bls.gov/lau/home.htm#news issued monthly by BLS, while national statistics are highlighted in the Employment Situation www.bls.gov/cps/home.htm#news.

Labor force and unemployment data for prior years reflect adjustments made at the end of each year.  The adjusted estimates reflect updated population data from the U.S. Census Bureau, any revisions in the other data sources, and model re-estimation. In most years, historical data for the most recent five years (both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted) are revised near the beginning of each calendar year, prior to or coincident with the release of January estimates.

Model-based error measures for seasonally adjusted data and for over-the-month and over-the-year changes are available online at www.bls.gov/lau/lastderr.htm. BLS uses a 90-percent confidence level in determining whether changes in LAUS unemployment rates are statistically significant. The average magnitude of the current year over-the-month change in a state unemployment rate that is required for statistical significance at the 90-percent confidence level is just over 0.2 percentage point; the average amount of the current over-the-year change in a state rate for significance is about 0.9 point. More details can be found on the website. Measures of nonsampling error are not available.

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone: (202) 691-5200, Federal Relay Services: (800)-877-8339.

 

Table 1. Labor force status for the United States, New England, and New England states, seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Area	Mar 2014	Apr 2014	May 2014	June 2014	July 2014	Aug 2014	Sept 2014	Oct 2014	Nov 2014	Dec 2014	Jan 2015	Feb 2015	Mar 2015
United States (1)
Civilian labor force	156,180	155,420	155,629	155,700	156,048	156,018	155,845	156,243	156,402	156,129	(2) 157,180	157,002	156,906
Employed	145,796	145,724	145,868	146,247	146,401	146,451	146,607	147,260	147,331	147,442	(2) 148,201	148,297	148,331
Unemployed	10,384	9,696	9,761	9,453	9,648	9,568	9,237	8,983	9,071	8,688	8,979	8,705	8,575
Unemployment rate	6.6	6.2	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.1	5.9	5.7	5.8	5.6	5.7	5.5	5.5
New England
Civilian labor force	7,761.6	7,766.6	7,772.0	7,778.7	7,786.5	7,794.9	7,803.2	7,810.4	7,816.4	7,821.1	7,829.2	7,849.8	7,873.4
Employed	7,283.2	7,295.3	7,307.2	7,319.8	7,332.9	7,346.3	7,359.4	7,371.8	7,382.8	7,391.6	7,411.3	7,436.4	7,464.8
Unemployed	478.3	471.3	464.8	458.9	453.6	448.7	443.8	438.6	433.6	429.5	417.9	413.4	408.6
Unemployment rate	6.2	6.1	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.3	5.2
Connecticut
Civilian labor force	1,879.7	1,881.0	1,881.8	1,882.7	1,884.3	1,886.8	1,889.9	1,893.3	1,896.5	1,899.4	1,904.5	1,909.9	(P) 1,916.0
Employed	1,750.2	1,753.9	1,757.2	1,760.3	1,763.5	1,766.7	1,770.1	1,773.6	1,776.8	1,779.5	1,784.2	1,788.0	(P) 1,794.1
Unemployed	129.5	127.1	124.6	122.4	120.9	120.0	119.8	119.7	119.7	119.9	120.2	121.9	(P) 121.9
Unemployment rate	6.9	6.8	6.6	6.5	6.4	6.4	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.4	(P) 6.4
Maine
Civilian labor force	702.6	701.7	700.8	699.8	698.7	697.5	696.4	695.3	694.4	693.7	692.3	690.6	(P) 689.8
Employed	661.7	661.3	660.8	660.1	659.2	658.3	657.4	656.7	656.1	655.7	656.3	656.2	(P) 656.6
Unemployed	41.0	40.4	40.0	39.8	39.5	39.3	39.0	38.7	38.3	38.0	36.1	34.4	(P) 33.1
Unemployment rate	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.6	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.5	5.2	5.0	(P) 4.8
Massachusetts
Civilian labor force	3,539.6	3,545.0	3,550.1	3,555.5	3,561.2	3,567.1	3,572.9	3,578.2	3,582.8	3,586.6	3,591.1	3,607.9	(P) 3,623.9
Employed	3,330.5	3,337.9	3,344.6	3,351.5	3,358.7	3,366.4	3,374.3	3,382.1	3,389.3	3,395.2	3,409.4	3,430.5	(P) 3,448.8
Unemployed	209.2	207.1	205.5	204.0	202.4	200.7	198.5	196.0	193.5	191.4	181.7	177.3	(P) 175.2
Unemployment rate	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.4	5.3	5.1	4.9	(P) 4.8
New Hampshire
Civilian labor force	742.1	741.7	741.2	740.8	740.5	740.4	740.6	740.8	741.1	741.3	742.8	744.0	(P) 745.9
Employed	708.5	708.5	708.5	708.6	708.9	709.3	710.0	710.6	711.2	711.7	713.3	714.7	(P) 716.9
Unemployed	33.6	33.2	32.7	32.2	31.6	31.1	30.6	30.2	29.9	29.6	29.4	29.3	(P) 28.9
Unemployment rate	4.5	4.5	4.4	4.3	4.3	4.2	4.1	4.1	4.0	4.0	4.0	3.9	(P) 3.9
Rhode Island
Civilian labor force	555.2	555.3	555.3	555.1	554.4	553.3	552.1	550.9	549.7	548.8	549.0	549.6	(P) 551.7
Employed	509.4	510.4	511.4	512.1	512.5	512.5	512.3	512.0	511.8	511.6	513.1	514.7	(P) 517.1
Unemployed	45.8	44.9	43.9	42.9	41.9	40.9	39.8	38.8	37.9	37.2	35.9	34.9	(P) 34.6
Unemployment rate	8.2	8.1	7.9	7.7	7.6	7.4	7.2	7.0	6.9	6.8	6.5	6.4	(P) 6.3
Vermont
Civilian labor force	348.9	348.8	348.8	348.8	348.9	348.9	348.9	348.8	348.8	348.8	348.7	348.5	(P) 348.2
Employed	334.9	334.8	334.7	334.6	334.5	334.4	334.4	334.3	334.3	334.3	334.6	334.7	(P) 335.0
Unemployed	14.0	14.0	14.1	14.2	14.4	14.5	14.5	14.5	14.5	14.5	14.2	13.7	(P) 13.2
Unemployment rate	4.0	4.0	4.0	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.2	4.2	4.2	4.1	4.1	3.9	(P) 3.8
Footnotes (1) Data for the U.S. are obtained directly from the national Current Population Survey (CPS) and are not preliminary. Seasonally adjusted CPS data have been revised as a result of routine seasonal updates processed at the end of each calendar year. (2) Data affected by changes in population controls. (P) Preliminary

Table 2. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, seasonally adjusted (numbers in thousands)

Census region and division	Civilian labor force				Unemployed
	Mar 2014	Jan 2015	Feb 2015	Mar 2015	Number				Percent of the labor force
					Mar 2014	Jan 2015	Feb 2015	Mar 2015	Mar 2014	Jan 2015	Feb 2015	Mar 2015
Northeast	28,264.0	28,296.0	28,330.0	28,374.9	1,832.5	1,586.4	1,584.6	1,584.7	6.5	5.6	5.6	5.6
New England	7,761.6	7,829.2	7,849.8	7,873.4	478.3	417.9	413.4	408.6	6.2	5.3	5.3	5.2
Middle Atlantic	20,502.4	20,466.8	20,480.2	20,501.6	1,354.2	1,168.5	1,171.2	1,176.2	6.6	5.7	5.7	5.7
South	56,951.6	57,140.4	57,205.9	57,240.2	3,547.5	3,131.8	3,073.2	3,060.2	6.2	5.5	5.4	5.3
South Atlantic	30,222.9	30,290.6	30,332.8	30,335.2	1,951.1	1,721.2	1,709.5	1,719.2	6.5	5.7	5.6	5.7
East South Central	8,461.8	8,332.5	8,349.2	8,381.0	602.6	525.4	504.3	489.3	7.1	6.3	6.0	5.8
West South Central	18,266.9	18,517.2	18,523.9	18,524.0	993.8	885.2	859.4	851.7	5.4	4.8	4.6	4.6
Midwest	34,396.7	34,612.1	34,578.4	34,542.9	2,161.4	1,815.4	1,763.0	1,743.3	6.3	5.2	5.1	5.0
East North Central	23,297.3	23,417.3	23,367.7	23,317.4	1,618.6	1,341.7	1,293.6	1,274.2	6.9	5.7	5.5	5.5
West North Central	11,099.4	11,194.8	11,210.7	11,225.6	542.8	473.7	469.4	469.1	4.9	4.2	4.2	4.2
West	36,397.5	36,821.5	36,862.8	36,873.2	2,573.1	2,309.1	2,255.6	2,173.3	7.1	6.3	6.1	5.9
Mountain	11,216.4	11,342.5	11,370.3	11,394.4	687.9	595.5	591.2	579.3	6.1	5.3	5.2	5.1
Pacific	25,181.1	25,478.9	25,492.5	25,478.8	1,885.2	1,713.6	1,664.4	1,594.0	7.5	6.7	6.5	6.3
Note: Census region estimates are derived by summing the Census division model-based estimates. Data refer to place of residence. Regions are defined as the four Census regions, comprised as follows: Northeast Region includes the New England Division - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; and the Middle Atlantic Division - New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. South Rgion includes the South Atlantic Division - Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central Division - Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; and West South Central Division - Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Midwest Region includes the East North Central - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; and the West North Central Division - Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. West Region includes the Moutain Division - Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. Estimates for the current year are subject to revision early in the following calendar year.