For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, August 17, 2012 USDL-12-1649
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
(NOTE: This news release was reissued on August 31, 2012. It contains corrections to previously
released employment data in table 5, and to the count of states with over-the-month employment
gains and losses in paragraph two of the text. Data for July 2012 were corrected for South
Carolina total nonfarm, government, and local government. Corrected data were loaded into the
CES State and Area database on August 31, 2012, and are available at www.bls.gov/sae/data.htm.
A complete listing of corrected series is available at www.bls.gov/bls/errata/sae_errata.htm.)
REGIONAL AND STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- JULY 2012
Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed or slightly
higher in July. Forty-four states recorded unemployment rate increases, two states
and the District of Columbia posted rate decreases, and four states had no change,
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-four states and the
District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier,
four states experienced increases, and two had no change. The national jobless
rate, at 8.3 percent, was essentially unchanged from June but 0.8 percentage point
lower than in July 2011.
In July 2012, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states and the District
of Columbia and decreased in 20 states. The largest over-the-month increase in
employment occurred in California (+25,200), followed by Michigan (+21,800) and
Virginia (+21,300). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in
New Jersey (-12,000), followed by Missouri (-7,700) and Illinois (-7,100). Vermont
experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.8
percent), followed by Virginia (+0.6 percent) and the District of Columbia, Hawaii,
Kansas, and Michigan (+0.5 percent each). Alaska experienced the largest over-the-
month percentage decline in employment (-1.0 percent), followed by Idaho, New
Hampshire, and South Dakota (-0.4 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment
increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 9 states. The
largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+6.8 percent),
followed by California (+2.6 percent) and Oklahoma (+2.4 percent). The largest
over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Rhode Island (-1.6
percent), followed by Wisconsin (-0.8 percent) and Alaska and Missouri (-0.5 percent
each).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
The West continued to record the highest regional unemployment rate in July, 9.4
percent, while the Midwest again reported the lowest rate, 7.5 percent. Over the
month, three regions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate
changes: the Northeast (+0.3 percentage point), Midwest (+0.2 point), and South
(+0.1 point). Significant over-the-year rate changes occurred in the Midwest, South,
and West (-1.1 percentage points each). (See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to report the highest
jobless rate, 10.0 percent in July. The West North Central again registered the
lowest rate, 5.8 percent. Five divisions recorded statistically significant over-
the-month unemployment rate changes: the East South Central, Middle Atlantic, and
New England (+0.3 percentage point each) and the East North Central and South
Atlantic (+0.2 point each). Eight divisions had measurable rate changes from a year
earlier, all of which were decreases. The largest of these declines occurred in the
East North Central (-1.3 percentage points).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 12.0
percent in July. Rhode Island and California posted the next highest rates, 10.8 and
10.7 percent, respectively. North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate,
3.0 percent. In total, 23 states reported jobless rates significantly lower than the
U.S. figure of 8.3 percent, 8 states had measurably higher rates, and 19 states and
the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from that of
the nation. (See tables A and 3.)
Eighteen states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate
changes in July, all of which were increases. The largest of these increases
occurred in Alabama and Alaska (+0.5 percentage point each). The remaining 32 states
and the District of Columbia 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.)
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia reported statistically significant
unemployment rate decreases from July 2011, the largest of which occurred in
Florida, Mississippi, and Nevada (-1.8 percentage points each). New York experienced
the only statistically significant over-the-year increase in its unemployment rate
(+0.9 percentage point). (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In July 2012, nine states recorded statistically significant over-the-month changes
in employment, seven of which were increases. The largest statistically significant
job gains occurred in California (+25,200), Michigan (+21,800), and Virginia
(+21,300). Statistically significant declines in employment occurred in New Jersey
(-12,000) and Alaska (-3,400). (See tables D and 5.)
Over the year, 27 states experienced statistically significant changes in employment,
26 of which were increases. The largest increase occurred in California (+365,100),
followed by Texas (+222,500), New York (+113,300), and Ohio (+100,300). The only
decrease occurred in Rhode Island (-7,300). (See table E.)
____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for July is scheduled
to be released on Wednesday, August 29, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Regional and
State Employment and Unemployment news release for August is scheduled to be released
on Friday, September 21, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., July 2012, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 8.3
|
Arkansas ............................| 7.3
California ..........................| 10.7
Delaware ............................| 6.8
Georgia .............................| 9.3
Hawaii ..............................| 6.4
Iowa ................................| 5.3
Kansas ..............................| 6.3
Maryland ............................| 7.0
Massachusetts .......................| 6.1
Minnesota ...........................| 5.8
|
Missouri ............................| 7.2
Montana .............................| 6.4
Nebraska ............................| 4.0
Nevada ..............................| 12.0
New Hampshire .......................| 5.4
New Jersey ..........................| 9.8
New Mexico ..........................| 6.6
New York ............................| 9.1
North Carolina ......................| 9.6
North Dakota ........................| 3.0
|
Ohio ................................| 7.2
Oklahoma ............................| 4.9
Rhode Island ........................| 10.8
South Carolina ......................| 9.6
South Dakota ........................| 4.4
Texas ...............................| 7.2
Utah ................................| 6.0
Vermont .............................| 5.0
Virginia ............................| 5.9
Wisconsin ...........................| 7.3
Wyoming .............................| 5.6
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 Data are not preliminary.
p = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from June 2012 to July 2012, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | June | July | change(p)
| 2012 | 2012(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 7.8 | 8.3 | 0.5
Alaska .........................| 7.2 | 7.7 | .5
Connecticut ....................| 8.1 | 8.5 | .4
Florida ........................| 8.6 | 8.8 | .2
Georgia ........................| 9.0 | 9.3 | .3
Iowa ...........................| 5.1 | 5.3 | .2
Michigan .......................| 8.6 | 9.0 | .4
Minnesota ......................| 5.6 | 5.8 | .2
Nebraska .......................| 3.9 | 4.0 | .1
Nevada .........................| 11.6 | 12.0 | .4
| | |
New Hampshire ..................| 5.1 | 5.4 | .3
Oregon .........................| 8.5 | 8.7 | .2
Pennsylvania ...................| 7.6 | 7.9 | .3
South Dakota ...................| 4.3 | 4.4 | .1
Tennessee ......................| 8.1 | 8.4 | .3
Vermont ........................| 4.7 | 5.0 | .3
Virginia .......................| 5.7 | 5.9 | .2
Wisconsin ......................| 7.0 | 7.3 | .3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from July 2011 to July 2012, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | July | July | change(p)
| 2011 | 2012(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ........................| 9.6 | 8.3 | -1.3
California .....................| 11.9 | 10.7 | -1.2
District of Columbia ...........| 10.5 | 8.9 | -1.6
Florida ........................| 10.6 | 8.8 | -1.8
Idaho ..........................| 8.9 | 7.5 | -1.4
Illinois .......................| 10.1 | 8.9 | -1.2
Kentucky .......................| 9.7 | 8.3 | -1.4
Massachusetts ..................| 7.4 | 6.1 | -1.3
Michigan .......................| 10.6 | 9.0 | -1.6
Minnesota ......................| 6.6 | 5.8 | -.8
| | |
Mississippi ....................| 10.9 | 9.1 | -1.8
Missouri .......................| 8.6 | 7.2 | -1.4
Nevada .........................| 13.8 | 12.0 | -1.8
New York .......................| 8.2 | 9.1 | .9
North Carolina .................| 10.7 | 9.6 | -1.1
North Dakota ...................| 3.6 | 3.0 | -.6
Ohio ...........................| 8.9 | 7.2 | -1.7
Oklahoma .......................| 6.2 | 4.9 | -1.3
Texas ..........................| 8.1 | 7.2 | -.9
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
June 2012 to July 2012, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| June | July | Over-the-month
State | 2012 | 2012(p) | change(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska........................| 330,600 | 327,200 | -3,400
California....................| 14,333,400 | 14,358,600 | 25,200
Hawaii........................| 595,800 | 598,600 | 2,800
Indiana.......................| 2,878,900 | 2,889,600 | 10,700
Kansas........................| 1,343,900 | 1,350,700 | 6,800
Michigan......................| 3,982,500 | 4,004,300 | 21,800
New Jersey....................| 3,911,600 | 3,899,600 | -12,000
Vermont.......................| 302,800 | 305,300 | 2,500
Virginia......................| 3,722,800 | 3,744,100 | 21,300
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
July 2011 to July 2012, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| July | July | Over-the-year
State | 2011 | 2012(p) | change(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona.......................| 2,401,100 | 2,457,500 | 56,400
California....................| 13,993,500 | 14,358,600 | 365,100
Colorado......................| 2,257,600 | 2,294,900 | 37,300
Florida.......................| 7,261,500 | 7,331,400 | 69,900
Georgia.......................| 3,883,000 | 3,933,800 | 50,800
Indiana.......................| 2,827,100 | 2,889,600 | 62,500
Kansas........................| 1,331,900 | 1,350,700 | 18,800
Kentucky......................| 1,791,100 | 1,827,900 | 36,800
Louisiana.....................| 1,901,800 | 1,942,600 | 40,800
Massachusetts.................| 3,206,500 | 3,249,300 | 42,800
| | |
Michigan......................| 3,944,500 | 4,004,300 | 59,800
Minnesota.....................| 2,653,600 | 2,710,300 | 56,700
Nebraska......................| 940,600 | 957,300 | 16,700
New Jersey....................| 3,859,400 | 3,899,600 | 40,200
New York......................| 8,695,200 | 8,808,500 | 113,300
North Carolina................| 3,919,900 | 3,956,700 | 36,800
North Dakota..................| 393,600 | 420,400 | 26,800
Ohio..........................| 5,086,800 | 5,187,100 | 100,300
Oklahoma......................| 1,551,200 | 1,588,300 | 37,100
Oregon........................| 1,617,900 | 1,635,000 | 17,100
| | |
Rhode Island..................| 463,200 | 455,900 | -7,300
Tennessee.....................| 2,656,700 | 2,689,600 | 32,900
Texas.........................| 10,581,500 | 10,804,000 | 222,500
Utah..........................| 1,209,700 | 1,234,700 | 25,000
Vermont.......................| 299,300 | 305,300 | 6,000
Virginia......................| 3,678,500 | 3,744,100 | 65,600
Washington....................| 2,826,400 | 2,879,200 | 52,800
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
p = preliminary.
