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FeedJobless rates down in 43 states, up in 3 in Nov.; payroll jobs up in 29 states, down in 19
REGIONAL AND STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- NOVEMBER 2011
Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in November. Forty-three
states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, three
states posted rate increases, and four states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-five states registered unemployment rate
decreases from a year earlier, while five states and the District of Columbia
experienced increases. The national jobless rate fell by 0.4 percentage point
between October and November to 8.6 percent, down from 9.8 percent in November 2010.
In November, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 29 states and the District of
Columbia, decreased in 19 states, and was unchanged in 2 states. The largest
over-the-month increases in employment occurred in New York (+29,500) and Texas
(+20,800). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Wisconsin
(-14,600), followed by Minnesota (-13,700) and Colorado (-4,500). South Carolina
experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.9
percent), followed by Arkansas and Wyoming (+0.6 percent each). Alaska experienced
the largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.8 percent), followed
by Delaware (-0.7 percent) and Montana (-0.6 percent). Over the year, nonfarm
employment increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in
5 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota
(+4.5 percent), followed by Wyoming (+3.0 percent) and Oklahoma (+2.8 percent).
The largest over-the-year percentage decreases in employment occurred in Delaware
(-0.8 percent) and Georgia (-0.5 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
The West continued to record the highest regional unemployment rate in November, 9.9
percent, while the Northeast again reported the lowest rate, 7.9 percent. Three regions
experienced statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes: the
West (-0.4 percentage point) and the Midwest and South (-0.3 point each). Over the year,
all four regions registered significant rate decreases, the largest of which was in the
West (-1.1 percentage points). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest jobless
rate, 10.6 percent in November. The West North Central again registered the lowest rate,
6.3 percent. Eight divisions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate
changes over the month, all decreases. The largest of these occurred in the East South
Central and South Atlantic (-0.4 percentage point each). Five divisions recorded significant
rate declines from a year earlier, the largest of which were in the Mountain and Pacific
(-1.1 percentage points each). No division reported an unemployment rate increase from
November 2010.
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 13.0 percent
in November. California posted the next highest rate, 11.3 percent. North Dakota again
registered the lowest jobless rate, 3.4 percent, followed by Nebraska, 4.1 percent, and
South Dakota, 4.3 percent. In total, 25 states reported jobless rates significantly lower
than the U.S. figure of 8.6 percent, 10 states and the District of Columbia had measurably
higher rates, and 15 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the
nation. (See tables A and 3.)
Thirty states and the District of Columbia experienced statistically significant over-the-month
unemployment rate declines in November. The largest of these was in Michigan (-0.8 percentage
point), followed by Alabama, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Utah (-0.6 point each). The
remaining 20 states recorded jobless 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. (See table B.)
New Mexico registered the largest jobless rate decrease from November 2010 (-2.1 percentage points).
Thirteen additional states reported smaller but also statistically significant decreases over the year.
The remaining 36 states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rates that were not
appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In November, 13 states recorded statistically significant changes in employment, 7 of which were
increases. The largest over-the-month statistically significant job gains occurred in New York
(+29,500), South Carolina (+16,600), Georgia (+13,000), and Tennessee (+9,600). The largest
over-the-month statistically significant declines in employment occurred in Wisconsin (-14,600)
and Minnesota (-13,700). (See tables D and 5.)
Over the year, 25 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment, all of which
were increases. The largest increase occurred in California (+233,100), followed by Texas (+226,000)
and Florida (+98,100). (See table E.)
____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for November 2011 is scheduled to be
released on Wednesday, January 4, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. (EST). The Regional and State Employment and
Unemployment news release for December 2011 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, January 24, 2012,
at 10:00 a.m. (EST).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly differ-
ent from that of the U.S., November 2011, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 8.6
|
Alaska ..............................| 7.3
California ..........................| 11.3
Delaware ............................| 7.6
District of Columbia ................| 10.6
Florida .............................| 10.0
Georgia .............................| 9.9
Hawaii ..............................| 6.5
Illinois ............................| 10.0
Iowa ................................| 5.7
Kansas ..............................| 6.5
|
Louisiana ...........................| 6.9
Maine ...............................| 7.0
Maryland ............................| 6.9
Massachusetts .......................| 7.0
Michigan ............................| 9.8
Minnesota ...........................| 5.9
Mississippi .........................| 10.5
Montana .............................| 7.1
Nebraska ............................| 4.1
Nevada ..............................| 13.0
|
New Hampshire .......................| 5.2
New Mexico ..........................| 6.5
New York ............................| 8.0
North Carolina ......................| 10.0
North Dakota ........................| 3.4
Oklahoma ............................| 6.1
Pennsylvania ........................| 7.9
Rhode Island ........................| 10.5
South Carolina ......................| 9.9
South Dakota ........................| 4.3
|
Texas ...............................| 8.1
Utah ................................| 6.4
Vermont .............................| 5.3
Virginia ............................| 6.2
Wisconsin ...........................| 7.3
Wyoming .............................| 5.8
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 Data are not preliminary.
p = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from October 2011 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | October | November | rate change(p)
| 2011 | 2011(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 9.3 | 8.7 | -0.6
Arkansas .......................| 8.2 | 8.0 | -.2
California .....................| 11.7 | 11.3 | -.4
Connecticut ....................| 8.7 | 8.4 | -.3
Delaware .......................| 7.9 | 7.6 | -.3
District of Columbia ...........| 11.0 | 10.6 | -.4
Florida ........................| 10.4 | 10.0 | -.4
Georgia ........................| 10.2 | 9.9 | -.3
Idaho ..........................| 8.8 | 8.5 | -.3
Iowa ...........................| 6.0 | 5.7 | -.3
| | |
Kansas .........................| 6.7 | 6.5 | -.2
Maine ..........................| 7.3 | 7.0 | -.3
Maryland .......................| 7.2 | 6.9 | -.3
Massachusetts ..................| 7.3 | 7.0 | -.3
Michigan .......................| 10.6 | 9.8 | -.8
Minnesota ......................| 6.5 | 5.9 | -.6
Missouri .......................| 8.5 | 8.2 | -.3
Montana ........................| 7.6 | 7.1 | -.5
North Carolina .................| 10.4 | 10.0 | -.4
Ohio ...........................| 9.0 | 8.5 | -.5
| | |
Oregon .........................| 9.5 | 9.1 | -.4
Pennsylvania ...................| 8.1 | 7.9 | -.2
South Carolina .................| 10.5 | 9.9 | -.6
South Dakota ...................| 4.5 | 4.3 | -.2
Tennessee ......................| 9.5 | 9.1 | -.4
Texas ..........................| 8.4 | 8.1 | -.3
Utah ...........................| 7.0 | 6.4 | -.6
Vermont ........................| 5.6 | 5.3 | -.3
Virginia .......................| 6.4 | 6.2 | -.2
Washington .....................| 9.1 | 8.7 | -.4
Wisconsin ......................| 7.7 | 7.3 | -.4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from November 2010 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | November | November | rate change(p)
| 2010 | 2011(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
California .....................| 12.5 | 11.3 | -1.2
Colorado .......................| 8.9 | 8.0 | -.9
Delaware .......................| 8.4 | 7.6 | -.8
Florida ........................| 11.9 | 10.0 | -1.9
Idaho ..........................| 9.6 | 8.5 | -1.1
Massachusetts ..................| 8.3 | 7.0 | -1.3
Michigan .......................| 11.4 | 9.8 | -1.6
Minnesota ......................| 7.0 | 5.9 | -1.1
Missouri .......................| 9.6 | 8.2 | -1.4
New Mexico .....................| 8.6 | 6.5 | -2.1
| | |
Ohio ...........................| 9.6 | 8.5 | -1.1
Oregon .........................| 10.6 | 9.1 | -1.5
Utah ...........................| 7.5 | 6.4 | -1.1
West Virginia ..................| 9.6 | 7.9 | -1.7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
October 2011 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| October | November | Over-the-month
State | 2011 | 2011(p) | change(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska........................| 331,200 | 328,600 | -2,600
Arkansas......................| 1,170,600 | 1,177,700 | 7,100
Delaware......................| 412,700 | 410,000 | -2,700
Georgia.......................| 3,797,600 | 3,810,600 | 13,000
Minnesota.....................| 2,673,100 | 2,659,400 | -13,700
Montana.......................| 434,800 | 432,200 | -2,600
Nebraska......................| 962,500 | 958,500 | -4,000
New Hampshire.................| 631,900 | 635,100 | 3,200
New York......................| 8,634,400 | 8,663,900 | 29,500
South Carolina................| 1,822,800 | 1,839,400 | 16,600
| | |
Tennessee.....................| 2,646,500 | 2,656,100 | 9,600
Washington....................| 2,827,300 | 2,836,400 | 9,100
Wisconsin.....................| 2,754,800 | 2,740,200 | -14,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
November 2010 to November 2011, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| November | November | Over-the-year
State | 2010 | 2011(p) | change(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona.......................| 2,374,400 | 2,419,800 | 45,400
California....................| 13,937,000 | 14,170,100 | 233,100
Colorado......................| 2,222,100 | 2,247,600 | 25,500
Florida.......................| 7,183,600 | 7,281,700 | 98,100
Illinois......................| 5,629,000 | 5,686,100 | 57,100
Kentucky......................| 1,781,500 | 1,802,100 | 20,600
Louisiana.....................| 1,890,100 | 1,936,800 | 46,700
Massachusetts.................| 3,189,800 | 3,245,400 | 55,600
Michigan......................| 3,870,800 | 3,930,200 | 59,400
Nebraska......................| 943,800 | 958,500 | 14,700
| | |
New Hampshire.................| 625,800 | 635,100 | 9,300
New Jersey....................| 3,851,900 | 3,881,000 | 29,100
New York......................| 8,580,300 | 8,663,900 | 83,600
North Dakota..................| 381,900 | 399,200 | 17,300
Ohio..........................| 5,037,900 | 5,113,500 | 75,600
Oklahoma......................| 1,526,600 | 1,569,600 | 43,000
Oregon........................| 1,604,500 | 1,623,400 | 18,900
Pennsylvania..................| 5,644,800 | 5,695,800 | 51,000
South Carolina................| 1,806,700 | 1,839,400 | 32,700
Tennessee.....................| 2,623,700 | 2,656,100 | 32,400
| | |
Texas.........................| 10,403,300 | 10,629,300 | 226,000
Utah..........................| 1,184,500 | 1,214,700 | 30,200
Vermont.......................| 298,500 | 303,300 | 4,800
Washington....................| 2,776,700 | 2,836,400 | 59,700
Wyoming.......................| 282,900 | 291,300 | 8,400
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
- Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Technical Note
- Table 1. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, seasonally adjusted
- Table 2. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 3. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, seasonally adjusted
- Table 4. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 5. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, seasonally adjusted
- Table 6. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, not seasonally adjusted
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