The state employment and unemployment figures for October, released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, were slightly more encouraging than the previous few months. Job growth remained steady in most states and unemployment rates ticked down slightly more, on average, than was the case heading into fall. Still, the U.S. labor market is far from fully healed. In fact, this month’s report marks something of a bittersweet milestone: there are now 25 states that have reached their pre-recession unemployment rates. Only 25 more to go.
From July to October, 37 states and the District of Columbia added jobs, with Idaho (+1.5 percent), Nebraska (+1.2 percent), and Arizona (+1.1 percent) posting the largest percentage gains. The gains in Idaho and Arizona exemplify the strong growth experienced in a number of western states of the past year. Since October of 2014, states in the West—particularly those off the coast, such as Utah, Idaho, and Nevada—have had the strongest job growth nationwide. Job totals fell in 13 states from July to October, although only North Dakota’s (-0.7 percent) and Louisiana’s losses (-0.3 percent) seem indicative of a trend.
Unemployment rates fell in 40 states plus the District of Columbia since July. The largest reductions were in Missouri (-0.8 percentage points), South Carolina (-0.8 percentage points), Mississippi (-0.6 percentage points), New York (-0.6 percentage points), Ohio (-0.6 percentage points), South Dakota (-0.6 percentage points), Virginia (-0.6 percentage points), and West Virginia (-0.6 percentage points).
Unemployment rate by state, August 2015
| State | Percentage point change since December 2007 | Percentage point change last 3 months | Unemployment rate, August 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1.8 | 0.1 | 6.2% |
| Alaska | 0.2 | -0.1 | 6.6% |
| Arizona | 1.9 | 0.5 | 6.3% |
| Arkansas | 0.2 | -0.4 | 5.4% |
| California | 0.1 | -0.3 | 6.1% |
| Colorado | 0.1 | -0.1 | 4.2% |
| Connecticut | 0.4 | -0.7 | 5.3% |
| Delaware | 1.2 | 0.3 | 4.9% |
| DC | 1.1 | -0.5 | 6.8% |
| Florida | 0.4 | -0.4 | 5.3% |
| Georgia | 0.8 | -0.4 | 5.9% |
| Hawaii | 0.3 | -0.6 | 3.5% |
| Idaho | 1 | 0.3 | 4.2% |
| Illinois | 0.1 | -0.4 | 5.6% |
| Indiana | -0.2 | -0.5 | 4.6% |
| Iowa | 0 | -0.1 | 3.7% |
| Kansas | 0.3 | 0.2 | 4.6% |
| Kentucky | -0.3 | 0 | 5.2% |
| Louisiana | 1.9 | -0.6 | 6.0% |
| Maine | -0.4 | -0.2 | 4.5% |
| Maryland | 1.7 | -0.2 | 5.1% |
| Massachusetts | 0.1 | 0.1 | 4.7% |
| Michigan | -2.2 | -0.4 | 5.1% |
| Minnesota | -0.7 | 0.2 | 4.0% |
| Mississippi | 0.4 | -0.4 | 6.3% |
| Missouri | 0.2 | -0.2 | 5.6% |
| Montana | -0.1 | 0.2 | 4.1% |
| Nebraska | -0.2 | 0.2 | 2.8% |
| Nevada | 1.7 | -0.2 | 6.8% |
| New Hampshire | 0.1 | -0.2 | 3.6% |
| New Jersey | 1.1 | -0.8 | 5.7% |
| New Mexico | 2.7 | 0.5 | 6.7% |
| New York | 0.3 | -0.5 | 5.2% |
| North Carolina | 0.9 | 0.2 | 5.9% |
| North Dakota | -0.2 | -0.2 | 2.9% |
| Ohio | -1 | -0.5 | 4.7% |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 0.3 | 4.6% |
| Oregon | 0.8 | 0.8 | 6.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 0.6 | 0 | 5.4% |
| Rhode Island | -0.5 | -0.4 | 5.6% |
| South Carolina | 0.3 | -0.8 | 6.0% |
| South Dakota | 1 | -0.1 | 3.7% |
| Tennessee | 0.2 | -0.1 | 5.7% |
| Texas | -0.2 | -0.2 | 4.1% |
| Utah | 0.7 | 0.2 | 3.7% |
| Vermont | -0.6 | 0 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 1 | -0.4 | 4.5% |
| Washington | 0.5 | -0.1 | 5.3% |
| West Virginia | 2.9 | 0.4 | 7.6% |
| Wisconsin | -0.3 | -0.1 | 4.5% |
| Wyoming | 1.2 | -0.1 | 4.0% |
Note: The unemployment rate measures the share of jobless persons in the labor force (the sum of employment and unemployed persons) and not the entire population. Persons who are not actively looking for work are not included in this measure. All data are seasonally adjusted.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics' Local Area Unemployment Statistics data
Change in employment by state December 2007–September 2015
| State | Total employment, September 2015 | Percent change since December 2007 | Change since December 2007 | Percent change last 3 months | Change last 3 months | Percent change since December 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,957,600 | -2.8% | -57,300 | 0.6% | 12,100 | -2.8% |
| Alaska | 336,100 | 5.7% | 18,100 | -0.6% | -1,900 | 5.7% |
| Arizona | 2,631,500 | -1.8% | -47,800 | 0.8% | 19,900 | -1.8% |
| Arkansas | 1,214,500 | 0.6% | 6,900 | 0.2% | 1,900 | 0.6% |
| California | 16,199,000 | 5.0% | 776,800 | 0.8% | 130,600 | 5.0% |
| Colorado | 2,523,700 | 7.4% | 173,200 | 0.2% | 4,200 | 7.4% |
| Connecticut | 1,693,500 | -0.7% | -12,000 | 0.1% | 1,600 | -0.7% |
| Delaware | 445,700 | 1.2% | 5,100 | 0.2% | 700 | 1.2% |
| DC | 765,200 | 9.3% | 65,100 | 0.0% | -300 | 9.3% |
| Florida | 8,113,900 | 2.3% | 182,100 | 0.5% | 39,400 | 2.3% |
| Georgia | 4,269,400 | 2.4% | 99,300 | 0.5% | 21,800 | 2.4% |
| Hawaii | 634,500 | 1.1% | 6,600 | 0.0% | -200 | 1.1% |
| Idaho | 675,700 | 2.9% | 19,200 | 0.5% | 3,500 | 2.9% |
| Illinois | 5,909,200 | -1.3% | -78,700 | -0.2% | -12,900 | -1.3% |
| Indiana | 3,052,200 | 2.0% | 59,100 | 0.3% | 9,300 | 2.0% |
| Iowa | 1,573,000 | 3.2% | 48,100 | 0.2% | 3,700 | 3.2% |
| Kansas | 1,404,200 | 1.3% | 18,400 | 0.0% | -300 | 1.3% |
| Kentucky | 1,895,900 | 2.1% | 38,100 | 0.1% | 1,000 | 2.1% |
| Louisiana | 1,990,000 | 2.8% | 54,400 | -0.2% | -4,000 | 2.8% |
| Maine | 611,600 | -1.5% | -9,100 | 0.3% | 1,600 | -1.5% |
| Maryland | 2,670,300 | 2.2% | 57,900 | 0.3% | 8,400 | 2.2% |
| Massachusetts | 3,492,800 | 5.5% | 180,700 | 0.2% | 7,900 | 5.5% |
| Michigan | 4,271,500 | 0.6% | 25,600 | 0.0% | 800 | 0.6% |
| Minnesota | 2,856,400 | 3.1% | 85,100 | 0.0% | -800 | 3.1% |
| Mississippi | 1,131,700 | -2.5% | -28,600 | 0.2% | 1,700 | -2.5% |
| Missouri | 2,761,300 | -1.5% | -41,100 | -0.1% | -2,300 | -1.5% |
| Montana | 456,400 | 2.2% | 9,900 | -0.1% | -500 | 2.2% |
| Nebraska | 1,000,400 | 3.4% | 32,700 | 0.4% | 3,800 | 3.4% |
| Nevada | 1,261,700 | -2.4% | -30,900 | 0.4% | 4,600 | -2.4% |
| New Hampshire | 654,000 | 0.5% | 3,500 | 0.0% | 100 | 0.5% |
| New Jersey | 4,009,300 | -1.8% | -74,200 | 0.2% | 9,700 | -1.8% |
| New Mexico | 828,000 | -2.5% | -21,100 | 0.1% | 1,200 | -2.5% |
| New York | 9,261,200 | 5.6% | 487,200 | 0.1% | 11,900 | 5.6% |
| North Carolina | 4,259,600 | 2.2% | 91,800 | 0.5% | 21,200 | 2.2% |
| North Dakota | 458,700 | 26.7% | 96,700 | -1.0% | -4,400 | 26.7% |
| Ohio | 5,400,900 | -0.3% | -18,700 | 0.3% | 16,700 | -0.3% |
| Oklahoma | 1,661,100 | 3.3% | 53,800 | 0.4% | 5,900 | 3.3% |
| Oregon | 1,777,100 | 2.3% | 39,300 | 0.3% | 5,600 | 2.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,840,300 | 0.4% | 25,700 | -0.1% | -7,800 | 0.4% |
| Rhode Island | 482,100 | -1.2% | -5,700 | -0.2% | -800 | -1.2% |
| South Carolina | 2,016,700 | 3.5% | 68,000 | 0.9% | 18,200 | 3.5% |
| South Dakota | 431,100 | 5.6% | 22,800 | -0.5% | -2,000 | 5.6% |
| Tennessee | 2,877,000 | 2.5% | 71,300 | 0.3% | 9,400 | 2.5% |
| Texas | 11,845,900 | 12.5% | 1,316,000 | 0.4% | 49,000 | 12.5% |
| Utah | 1,385,200 | 9.5% | 120,000 | 0.3% | 4,000 | 9.5% |
| Vermont | 312,200 | 1.2% | 3,700 | -0.9% | -2,800 | 1.2% |
| Virginia | 3,814,200 | 1.0% | 38,000 | -0.2% | -5,800 | 1.0% |
| Washington | 3,190,400 | 6.4% | 191,200 | 0.4% | 13,900 | 6.4% |
| West Virginia | 751,200 | -1.4% | -10,700 | 0.9% | 6,800 | -1.4% |
| Wisconsin | 2,900,200 | 0.8% | 22,200 | 0.8% | 23,000 | 0.8% |
| Wyoming | 290,400 | -1.3% | -3,700 | -0.4% | -1,200 | -1.3% |
Note: Total nonfarm employment is the total number of jobs, part-time or full-time, in non-farm establishments.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Establishment Survey data
