new england and state unemployment – July 2012

The New England unemployment rate for July 2012 rose to 7.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Deborah A. Brown noted that New England’s jobless rate decreased 0.7 percentage point over the year. The national jobless rate was essentially unchanged at 8.3 percent in July, and was 0.8 percentage point lower than one year earlier. (See chart 1.)

New England is one of nine geographic divisions nationwide. In July, the Pacific division continued to report the highest jobless rate, 10.0 percent, while the West North Central division again registered the lowest rate, 5.8 percent. The New England jobless rate was among the three-lowest reported among divisions. Five divisions reported statistically significant unemployment rate changes over the month: the East South Central, Middle Atlantic, and New England (+0.3 percentage point each) and the East North Central and South Atlantic (+0.2 percentage point each). Over the year, New England was among the eight divisions posting a measurable unemployment rate decrease. The largest of these decreases occurred in the East North Central division (-1.3 percentage points).

During July, four of the six New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from that of the United States. Vermont (5.0 percent), New Hampshire (5.4 percent), and Massachusetts (6.1 percent) recorded significantly lower unemployment rates and were among 23 states in the country to do so. Vermont, in fact, reported the fifth-lowest jobless rate nationwide. In contrast, Rhode Island (10.8 percent) had the highest jobless rate among the New England states and the second-highest jobless rate in the nation. Rhode Island was among eight states with rates measurably higher than the national average. Maine and Connecticut were among the 19 remaining states and the District of Columbia which registered unemployment rates not appreciably different from that of the nation.

Three New England states experienced a statistically significant unemployment rate change over the month: Connecticut (+0.4 percentage point), New Hampshire and Vermont (+0.3 percentage point each).

Over the year, Massachusetts (-1.3 percentage points) was among the 17 states nationwide and the District of Columbia which reported a statistically significant jobless rate decrease from July 2011. New York recorded the only statistically significant over-the-year increase in its unemployment rate (+0.9 percentage point). The five remaining New England states were among the 32 states to register unemployment rates not appreciably different from those a year earlier.

 

Technical Note

This release presents labor force and unemployment data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. Estimates for the U.S. are obtained directly from the CPS, which is a sample survey of approximately 60,000 households nationwide that is conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the Census Bureau. The LAUS program produces data for the nine geographic divisions in the United States:  New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, East South Central, West South Central, East North Central, West North Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Data for all divisions, as well as the 50 states, are available in the Regional and State Employment and Unemployment release www.bls.gov/lau/home.htm#news issued monthly by BLS, while national statistics are highlighted in the Employment Situation www.bls.gov/cps/home.htm#news.

Labor force and unemployment data for prior years reflect adjustments made at the end of each year. The adjusted estimates reflect updated population data from the U.S. Census Bureau, any revisions in the other data sources, and model reestimation. In most years, historical data for the most recent five years (both seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted) are revised near the beginning of each calendar year, prior to or coincident with the release of January estimates.

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (617) 565-2072, Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339.

 

Last Modified Date: August 30, 2012