Today’s State and Regional Employment report for April, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed labor markets strengthening in most states. Yet, even as the recovery moves ahead slowly, some states continue to experience job losses and unemployment increases.
From January to April, 32 states added jobs, with Nevada (1.2 percent), South Dakota (1.1 percent), Utah (1.0 percent), and Minnesota (0.9 percent) making the largest percentage job gains. Over that same period, employment fell in nine states and the District of Columbia. Of those states, Vermont (-0.5 percent), Idaho (-0.4 percent), Missouri (-0.3 percent), and New Hampshire (-0.3 percent) had the largest losses. In nine states, the number of jobs was essentially unchanged.
From January to April, the unemployment rate fell in 37 states. Alabama (-1.0 percent), Illinois (-1.0 percent), West Virginia (-0.8 percent), Tennessee (-0.7 percent), and Wisconsin (-0.7 percent) saw the largest declines in unemployment. Over those same months, the unemployment rate increased in eight states and the District of Columbia. The largest increases in unemployment occurred in Massachusetts (0.7 percent), Connecticut (0.4 percent), Delaware (0.2 percent), District of Columbia (0.2 percent), and Texas (0.2 percent). Five states saw no change in their unemployment rates: Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, Utah, and Vermont.
Unemployment rate by state, April 2017
| State | Percentage point change since December 2007 | Percentage point change last 3 months | Unemployment rate, April 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1.0 | -1.0 | 5.4% |
| Alaska | 0.2 | 0.1 | 6.6% |
| Arizona | 0.6 | 0.0 | 5.0% |
| Arkansas | -1.7 | -0.3 | 3.5% |
| California | -1.2 | -0.4 | 4.8% |
| Colorado | -1.8 | -0.6 | 2.3% |
| Connecticut | 0.0 | 0.4 | 4.9% |
| Delaware | 0.9 | 0.2 | 4.6% |
| DC | 0.2 | 0.2 | 5.9% |
| Florida | -0.4 | -0.5 | 4.5% |
| Georgia | -0.1 | -0.5 | 5.0% |
| Hawaii | -0.5 | -0.1 | 2.7% |
| Idaho | 0.2 | -0.2 | 3.4% |
| Illinois | -0.8 | -1.0 | 4.7% |
| Indiana | -1.2 | -0.4 | 3.6% |
| Iowa | -0.6 | -0.3 | 3.1% |
| Kansas | -0.6 | -0.4 | 3.7% |
| Kentucky | -0.4 | 0.1 | 5.1% |
| Louisiana | 1.7 | -0.1 | 5.8% |
| Maine | -1.9 | -0.5 | 3.0% |
| Maryland | 0.9 | 0.1 | 4.3% |
| Massachusetts | -0.7 | 0.7 | 3.9% |
| Michigan | -2.6 | -0.5 | 4.7% |
| Minnesota | -0.9 | -0.2 | 3.8% |
| Mississippi | -0.9 | -0.5 | 5.0% |
| Missouri | -1.5 | -0.3 | 3.9% |
| Montana | -0.4 | -0.1 | 3.8% |
| Nebraska | 0.0 | -0.3 | 3.0% |
| Nevada | -0.4 | -0.3 | 4.7% |
| New Hampshire | -0.7 | 0.1 | 2.8% |
| New Jersey | -0.5 | -0.5 | 4.1% |
| New Mexico | 2.7 | 0.0 | 6.7% |
| New York | -0.6 | -0.3 | 4.3% |
| North Carolina | -0.3 | -0.6 | 4.7% |
| North Dakota | -0.4 | -0.3 | 2.7% |
| Ohio | -0.7 | 0.0 | 5.0% |
| Oklahoma | 0.7 | -0.4 | 4.3% |
| Oregon | -1.6 | -0.6 | 3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 0.1 | -0.3 | 4.9% |
| Rhode Island | -1.8 | -0.5 | 4.3% |
| South Carolina | -1.4 | -0.1 | 4.3% |
| South Dakota | 0.1 | -0.1 | 2.8% |
| Tennessee | -0.8 | -0.7 | 4.7% |
| Texas | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.0% |
| Utah | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3.1% |
| Vermont | -1.1 | 0.0 | 3.1% |
| Virginia | 0.3 | -0.2 | 3.8% |
| Washington | -0.2 | -0.5 | 4.6% |
| West Virginia | 0.1 | -0.8 | 4.8% |
| Wisconsin | -1.6 | -0.7 | 3.2% |
| Wyoming | 1.5 | -0.5 | 4.3% |
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– April 2017
| State | Total employment, April 2017 | Percent change since December 2007 | Change since December 2007 | Percent change last 3 months | Change last 3 months | Percent change since December 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,997,900 | -0.8% | -15,500 | 0.1% | 2,900 | -0.8% |
| Alaska | 327,900 | 2.8% | 8,900 | -0.1% | -300 | 2.8% |
| Arizona | 2,745,800 | 2.5% | 66,300 | 0.5% | 14,600 | 2.5% |
| Arkansas | 1,243,200 | 3.0% | 35,800 | 0.7% | 8,300 | 3.0% |
| California | 16,681,200 | 7.8% | 1,203,400 | 0.2% | 28,000 | 7.8% |
| Colorado | 2,635,900 | 12.1% | 285,400 | 0.2% | 6,400 | 12.1% |
| Connecticut | 1,683,200 | -1.3% | -22,100 | 0.0% | -800 | -1.3% |
| Delaware | 455,700 | 3.4% | 15,000 | 0.0% | -100 | 3.4% |
| DC | 786,700 | 12.4% | 86,600 | -0.1% | -800 | 12.4% |
| Florida | 8,552,500 | 7.8% | 620,700 | 0.1% | 4,500 | 7.8% |
| Georgia | 4,466,700 | 7.1% | 296,400 | 0.6% | 26,500 | 7.1% |
| Hawaii | 653,700 | 4.1% | 25,900 | 0.6% | 3,700 | 4.1% |
| Idaho | 709,900 | 8.1% | 53,300 | -0.4% | -3,000 | 8.1% |
| Illinois | 6,029,300 | 0.7% | 44,100 | 0.0% | -100 | 0.7% |
| Indiana | 3,106,500 | 3.8% | 113,200 | -0.2% | -4,800 | 3.8% |
| Iowa | 1,579,700 | 3.6% | 54,500 | 0.1% | 2,300 | 3.6% |
| Kansas | 1,408,800 | 1.6% | 22,000 | 0.1% | 1,800 | 1.6% |
| Kentucky | 1,939,500 | 4.4% | 81,500 | 0.3% | 5,200 | 4.4% |
| Louisiana | 1,974,400 | 2.0% | 39,400 | -0.1% | -1,300 | 2.0% |
| Maine | 621,900 | 0.2% | 1200 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.2% |
| Maryland | 2,749,100 | 4.9% | 128,600 | 0.2% | 5,100 | 4.9% |
| Massachusetts | 3,609,700 | 8.8% | 290,900 | 0.5% | 16,200 | 8.8% |
| Michigan | 4,389,400 | 3.4% | 144,000 | 0.2% | 10,800 | 3.4% |
| Minnesota | 2,944,400 | 6.3% | 174,700 | 0.9% | 26,900 | 6.3% |
| Mississippi | 1,144,900 | -1.3% | -15,400 | -0.1% | -1,700 | -1.3% |
| Missouri | 2,869,200 | 2.4% | 66,900 | -0.3% | -7,800 | 2.4% |
| Montana | 475,600 | 6.5% | 29,200 | 0.3% | 1,300 | 6.5% |
| Nebraska | 1,023,600 | 5.8% | 56,000 | 0.5% | 4,800 | 5.8% |
| Nevada | 1,337,000 | 3.5% | 44,900 | 1.2% | 15,500 | 3.5% |
| New Hampshire | 678,500 | 4.4% | 28,800 | -0.3% | -1,900 | 4.4% |
| New Jersey | 4,115,700 | 0.7% | 29,600 | 0.0% | -1,900 | 0.7% |
| New Mexico | 840,100 | -1.1% | -9,100 | 0.8% | 6600 | -1.1% |
| New York | 9,486,200 | 8.2% | 716,900 | 0.0% | 1,700 | 8.2% |
| North Carolina | 4,380,500 | 5.1% | 212,300 | 0.1% | 3,500 | 5.1% |
| North Dakota | 437,200 | 20.8% | 75,200 | 0.4% | 1900 | 20.8% |
| Ohio | 5,512,800 | 1.7% | 94,700 | 0.1% | 6,000 | 1.7% |
| Oklahoma | 1,652,100 | 2.8% | 45,600 | 0.0% | -600 | 2.8% |
| Oregon | 1,868,700 | 7.5% | 131,100 | 0.8% | 15,500 | 7.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,924,400 | 1.9% | 112,900 | -0.1% | -4,700 | 1.9% |
| Rhode Island | 494,600 | 1.4% | 6,800 | 0.3% | 1,600 | 1.4% |
| South Carolina | 2,076,100 | 6.5% | 126,800 | 0.0% | 0 | 6.5% |
| South Dakota | 439,500 | 7.7% | 31,300 | 1.1% | 4,700 | 7.7% |
| Tennessee | 3,010,500 | 7.3% | 205,900 | 0.3% | 7,900 | 7.3% |
| Texas | 12,248,100 | 16.0% | 1,685,800 | 0.5% | 56,600 | 16.0% |
| Utah | 1,465,900 | 15.9% | 200,700 | 1.0% | 14,200 | 15.9% |
| Vermont | 314,400 | 1.9% | 5,900 | -0.5% | -1500 | 1.9% |
| Virginia | 3,955,300 | 4.7% | 178,300 | 0.2% | 9,000 | 4.7% |
| Washington | 3,307,800 | 10.4% | 310,700 | 0.6% | 19,400 | 10.4% |
| West Virginia | 746,700 | -1.8% | -13,500 | 0.0% | 100 | -1.8% |
| Wisconsin | 2,961,900 | 2.9% | 84,300 | 0.8% | 22,200 | 2.9% |
| Wyoming | 279,000 | -5.2% | -15,300 | 0.4% | 1,100 | -5.2% |
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
