Unemployment rates were lower in April in 10 states and stable in 40 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Four states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 1 state had an increase, and 45 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage point from March to 3.6 percent and was 0.3 point lower than in April 2018.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 10 states in April 2019, decreased in 1 state, and was essentially unchanged in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 29 states added nonfarm payroll jobs and 21 states and the District were essentially unchanged.
This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian labor force and unemployment data are modeled based largely on a survey of households. These data pertain to individuals by where they reside. The employment data come from an establishment survey that measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry. These data pertain to jobs on
payrolls defined by where the establishments are located. For more information about the concepts and statistical methodologies used by these two programs, see the Technical Note.
Unemployment
Vermont had the lowest unemployment rate in April, 2.2 percent. The rates in Pennsylvania (3.8 percent), Vermont (2.2 percent), and Wisconsin (2.8 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.5 percent. In total, 12 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.6 percent, 11 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 27 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
In April, 10 states had unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which were in Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia (-0.2 percentage point each). The remaining 40 states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably 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.)
Four states had unemployment rate decreases from April 2018. The largest decline was in Delaware (-0.7 percentage point), followed by Vermont (-0.5 point), New York (-0.4 point), and North Dakota (-0.3 point). The only unemployment rate increase over the year occurred in Hawaii (+0.5 percentage point).
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 10 states in April 2019. The largest job gains occurred in California (+46,000), Texas (+28,900), and New York (+26,300). The largest percentage gains in employment occurred in Rhode Island (+0.8 percent), Kansas (+0.5 percent), and Arizona, Missouri, and Washington (+0.4 percent each). Employment decreased in Georgia over the month (-14,900, or -0.3 percent). (See tables C and 3.)
Twenty-nine states had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment in April. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+294,200), California (+271,600), and Florida (+206,100). The largest percentage gain occurred in Nevada (+3.6 percent), followed by Utah (+3.0 percent) and Arizona (+2.8 percent). (See table D.)
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 29, 2019; at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).The State Employment and Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released on Friday, June 21, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., April 2019, seasonally adjusted
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State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 3.6
|
Alaska ..............................| 6.5
Arizona .............................| 4.9
California ..........................| 4.3
District of Columbia ................| 5.6
Hawaii ..............................| 2.8
Idaho ...............................| 2.8
Illinois ............................| 4.4
Iowa ................................| 2.4
Louisiana ...........................| 4.5
Massachusetts .......................| 2.9
|
Mississippi .........................| 4.9
Nebraska ............................| 2.9
New Hampshire .......................| 2.4
New Mexico ..........................| 5.0
North Dakota ........................| 2.3
Ohio ................................| 4.3
Oregon ..............................| 4.3
South Dakota ........................| 2.8
Utah ................................| 2.9
Vermont .............................| 2.2
|
Virginia ............................| 2.9
Washington ..........................| 4.7
West Virginia .......................| 4.9
Wisconsin ...........................| 2.8
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(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from March 2019 to April 2019, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | March | April | change(p)
| 2019 | 2019(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado .......................| 3.5 | 3.4 | -0.1
Louisiana ......................| 4.7 | 4.5 | -.2
Nevada .........................| 4.2 | 4.0 | -.2
New Jersey .....................| 4.1 | 3.9 | -.2
Ohio ...........................| 4.4 | 4.3 | -.1
Pennsylvania ...................| 3.9 | 3.8 | -.1
Texas ..........................| 3.8 | 3.7 | -.1
Vermont ........................| 2.3 | 2.2 | -.1
West Virginia ..................| 5.1 | 4.9 | -.2
Wyoming ........................| 3.7 | 3.6 | -.1
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(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant employment changes from
March 2019 to April 2019, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change (p)
State | March | April |---------------------------
| 2019 | 2019(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ......................| 2,902,900 | 2,914,200 | 11,300 | 0.4
California ...................| 17,357,500 | 17,403,500 | 46,000 | .3
Georgia ......................| 4,601,900 | 4,587,000 | -14,900 | -.3
Illinois .....................| 6,158,100 | 6,179,000 | 20,900 | .3
Kansas .......................| 1,417,700 | 1,424,600 | 6,900 | .5
Missouri .....................| 2,901,400 | 2,913,200 | 11,800 | .4
New York .....................| 9,764,600 | 9,790,900 | 26,300 | .3
North Carolina ...............| 4,542,000 | 4,555,200 | 13,200 | .3
Rhode Island .................| 496,100 | 500,300 | 4,200 | .8
Texas ........................| 12,698,700 | 12,727,600 | 28,900 | .2
Washington ...................| 3,467,900 | 3,481,400 | 13,500 | .4
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(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
April 2018 to April 2019, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change (p)
State | April | April |---------------------------
| 2018 | 2019(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................| 2,036,100 | 2,070,100 | 34,000 | 1.7
Arizona ......................| 2,836,200 | 2,914,200 | 78,000 | 2.8
California ...................| 17,131,900 | 17,403,500 | 271,600 | 1.6
Colorado .....................| 2,716,100 | 2,765,200 | 49,100 | 1.8
Florida ......................| 8,736,600 | 8,942,700 | 206,100 | 2.4
Georgia ......................| 4,517,300 | 4,587,000 | 69,700 | 1.5
Idaho ........................| 733,900 | 752,600 | 18,700 | 2.5
Illinois .....................| 6,095,500 | 6,179,000 | 83,500 | 1.4
Indiana ......................| 3,134,600 | 3,173,300 | 38,700 | 1.2
Massachusetts ................| 3,637,500 | 3,674,600 | 37,100 | 1.0
| | | |
Michigan .....................| 4,410,600 | 4,447,900 | 37,300 | .8
Missouri .....................| 2,883,200 | 2,913,200 | 30,000 | 1.0
Nevada .......................| 1,376,200 | 1,425,800 | 49,600 | 3.6
New Hampshire ................| 679,200 | 689,100 | 9,900 | 1.5
New Jersey ...................| 4,148,000 | 4,204,300 | 56,300 | 1.4
New Mexico ...................| 840,100 | 853,200 | 13,100 | 1.6
New York .....................| 9,655,700 | 9,790,900 | 135,200 | 1.4
North Carolina ...............| 4,485,400 | 4,555,200 | 69,800 | 1.6
Ohio .........................| 5,552,300 | 5,596,700 | 44,400 | .8
Oregon .......................| 1,904,000 | 1,942,300 | 38,300 | 2.0
| | | |
Pennsylvania .................| 5,997,800 | 6,056,100 | 58,300 | 1.0
South Carolina ...............| 2,136,200 | 2,178,500 | 42,300 | 2.0
South Dakota .................| 434,900 | 446,100 | 11,200 | 2.6
Tennessee ....................| 3,046,800 | 3,098,400 | 51,600 | 1.7
Texas ........................| 12,433,400 | 12,727,600 | 294,200 | 2.4
Utah .........................| 1,506,200 | 1,551,800 | 45,600 | 3.0
Virginia .....................| 3,998,000 | 4,041,100 | 43,100 | 1.1
Washington ...................| 3,389,900 | 3,481,400 | 91,500 | 2.7
West Virginia ................| 722,100 | 735,300 | 13,200 | 1.8
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(p) = preliminary.
