March 06, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

States with highest unemployment rates in 2005

Mississippi and Louisiana recorded the highest jobless rates among the states in 2005, 7.9 and 7.1 percent, respectively.

States with the highest unemployment rates, and U.S. unemployment rate, 2005
[Chart data—TXT]

Three other states had rates above 6.5 percent—Alaska and South Carolina (6.8 percent each) and Michigan (6.7 percent).

Overall, 18 states and the District of Columbia registered rates above the national average of 5.1 percent. 

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. To learn more, see "State and Regional Unemployment, 2005 Annual Averages" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-362.

 

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