October jobless rates down in 32 states, up in 3; payroll jobs up in 40 states, down in 9
Economic News Release USDL-15-2206
Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary
For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Friday, November 20, 2015
Technical information:
Employment: (202) 691-6559 • sminfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/sae
Unemployment: (202) 691-6392 • lausinfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/lau
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov
REGIONAL AND STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- OCTOBER 2015
Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in October. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from September, 3 states had increases, and 15 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, three states had increases, and four states had no change. The national jobless rate was essentially unchanged from September at 5.0 percent and was 0.7 percentage point lower than in October 2014.
In October 2015, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 40 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 9 states, and was unchanged in Delaware. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+41,200), Florida (+35,200), and Ohio (+30,800). The largest over-the-month decreases in employment occurred in Louisiana (-6,200), Indiana (-3,400), and North Carolina (-3,100). The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Idaho (+1.1 percent), followed by Alaska (+0.9 percent) and Wyoming (+0.8 percent). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Louisiana (-0.3 percent), followed by North Dakota (-0.2 percent) and Connecticut, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, and West Virginia (-0.1 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 47 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 3 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increases occurred in Idaho (+3.8 percent), Utah (+3.5 percent), and Nevada (+3.4 percent). The over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in North Dakota (-2.1 percent), West Virginia (-1.8 percent), and Louisiana (-0.5 percent).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In October, the Midwest had the lowest regional unemployment rate, 4.5 percent, while the West had the highest rate, 5.5 percent. Over the month, no region had a statistically significant unemployment rate change. Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the West (-1.0 percentage point), Midwest and Northeast (-0.9 point each), and South (-0.6 point). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the West North Central had the lowest unemployment rate, 4.0 percent in October. The East South Central and Pacific had the highest rates, 5.6 percent each. Over the month, no division had a statistically significant jobless rate change. All divisions except the Mountain had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines. The largest of these decreases occurred in the Pacific (-1.3 percentage points).
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