March 02, 2001 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Virginia had lowest unemployment rate in 2000

Virginia reported the lowest annual average unemployment rate for 2000, 2.2 percent, followed closely by Connecticut and South Dakota, both 2.3 percent.

States with the lowest unemployment rates in 2000
[Chart data—TXT]

Five other States—three of them in New England—had rates below 3.0 percent in 2000.

Overall, 28 States had unemployment rates below the national average of 4.0 percent, while 21 States and the District of Columbia posted higher rates. All seven States in the West North Central division and five of the six States in New England had rates below the U.S. average, while all five States in the Pacific division recorded rates above it.

These data are a product of the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. To learn more, see State and Regional Unemployment, 2000 Annual Averages, news release USDL 01-50.