The March State and Regional Employment report, released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed most states continuing their trajectory toward recovery. A majority of states saw modest gains in employment and declines in their unemployment rates.
From December to March, 46 states added jobs, with Montana (1.0 percent), Maine (0.9 percent), Utah (0.8 percent), Florida (0.7 percent), and Tennessee (0.7 percent) making the largest percentage job gains. Over that same period, employment fell only in Alaska (-0.3 percent), Hawaii (-0.3 percent), Missouri (-0.2 percent), and West Virginia (-0.1 percent). In the District of Columbia, the number of jobs was essentially unchanged.
From December to March, the unemployment rate fell in 37 states. West Virginia (-0.9 percent), Illinois (-0.8 percent), Maine (-0.8 percent), Oregon (-0.7 percent), and Wisconsin (-0.7 percent) saw the largest declines in unemployment. During that same period, 10 states saw increases in unemployment rates. The largest increases occurred in Massachusetts (0.5 percent), Connecticut (0.4 percent), Delaware (0.2 percent), Kentucky (0.2 percent), and Texas (0.2 percent). Four states saw no change in their unemployment rates: Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico, and Tennessee.
Unemployment rate by state, March 2017
| State | Percentage point change since December 2007 | Percentage point change last 3 months | Unemployment rate, March 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1.4 | -0.5 | 5.8% |
| Alaska | 0.0 | -0.2 | 6.4% |
| Arizona | 0.6 | 0.0 | 5.0% |
| Arkansas | -1.6 | -0.3 | 3.6% |
| California | -1.1 | -0.3 | 4.9% |
| Colorado | -1.5 | -0.4 | 2.6% |
| Connecticut | -0.1 | 0.4 | 4.8% |
| Delaware | 0.8 | 0.2 | 4.5% |
| DC | 0.1 | 0.1 | 5.8% |
| Florida | -0.1 | -0.1 | 4.8% |
| Georgia | 0.0 | -0.4 | 5.1% |
| Hawaii | -0.5 | -0.2 | 2.7% |
| Idaho | 0.3 | -0.1 | 3.5% |
| Illinois | -0.6 | -0.8 | 4.9% |
| Indiana | -0.9 | -0.1 | 3.9% |
| Iowa | -0.6 | -0.4 | 3.1% |
| Kansas | -0.5 | -0.5 | 3.8% |
| Kentucky | -0.5 | 0.2 | 5.0% |
| Louisiana | 1.6 | -0.3 | 5.7% |
| Maine | -1.9 | -0.8 | 3.0% |
| Maryland | 0.9 | 0.1 | 4.3% |
| Massachusetts | -1.0 | 0.5 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | -2.2 | 0.0 | 5.1% |
| Minnesota | -0.9 | -0.2 | 3.8% |
| Mississippi | -0.9 | -0.5 | 5.0% |
| Missouri | -1.5 | -0.5 | 3.9% |
| Montana | -0.4 | -0.2 | 3.8% |
| Nebraska | 0.1 | -0.2 | 3.1% |
| Nevada | -0.3 | -0.3 | 4.8% |
| New Hampshire | -0.7 | 0.1 | 2.8% |
| New Jersey | -0.4 | -0.5 | 4.2% |
| New Mexico | 2.7 | 0.0 | 6.7% |
| New York | -0.6 | -0.5 | 4.3% |
| North Carolina | -0.1 | -0.3 | 4.9% |
| North Dakota | -0.3 | -0.2 | 2.8% |
| Ohio | -0.6 | 0.1 | 5.1% |
| Oklahoma | 0.7 | -0.5 | 4.3% |
| Oregon | -1.5 | -0.7 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 0.0 | -0.6 | 4.8% |
| Rhode Island | -1.8 | -0.6 | 4.3% |
| South Carolina | -1.3 | 0.1 | 4.4% |
| South Dakota | 0.1 | -0.1 | 2.8% |
| Tennessee | -0.4 | 0.0 | 5.1% |
| Texas | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.0% |
| Utah | 0.1 | -0.1 | 3.1% |
| Vermont | -1.2 | -0.2 | 3.0% |
| Virginia | 0.3 | -0.3 | 3.8% |
| Washington | -0.1 | -0.4 | 4.7% |
| West Virginia | 0.2 | -0.9 | 4.9% |
| Wisconsin | -1.4 | -0.7 | 3.4% |
| Wyoming | 1.7 | -0.3 | 4.5% |
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– March 2017
| State | Total employment, March 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 | 1,996,200 | -0.9% | -17,200 | 0.6% | 12,500 | -0.9% |
| Alaska | 328,400 | 3.0% | 9,400 | -0.3% | -1,000 | 3.0% |
| Arizona | 2,738,000 | 2.2% | 58,500 | 0.1% | 2,600 | 2.2% |
| Arkansas | 1,240,500 | 2.7% | 33,100 | 0.3% | 3,200 | 2.7% |
| California | 16,694,000 | 7.9% | 1,216,200 | 0.3% | 56,100 | 7.9% |
| Colorado | 2,634,400 | 12.1% | 283,900 | 0.6% | 16,100 | 12.1% |
| Connecticut | 1,685,400 | -1.2% | -19,900 | 0.5% | 7,900 | -1.2% |
| Delaware | 457,000 | 3.7% | 16,300 | 0.6% | 2,600 | 3.7% |
| DC | 787,600 | 12.5% | 87,500 | 0.0% | 0 | 12.5% |
| Florida | 8,554,000 | 7.8% | 622,200 | 0.7% | 61,600 | 7.8% |
| Georgia | 4,466,100 | 7.1% | 295,800 | 0.7% | 30,400 | 7.1% |
| Hawaii | 650,100 | 3.6% | 22,300 | -0.3% | -1,800 | 3.6% |
| Idaho | 709,100 | 8.0% | 52,500 | 0.2% | 1,200 | 8.0% |
| Illinois | 6,035,300 | 0.8% | 50,100 | 0.2% | 14,000 | 0.8% |
| Indiana | 3,119,300 | 4.2% | 126,000 | 0.5% | 15,400 | 4.2% |
| Iowa | 1,580,600 | 3.6% | 55,400 | 0.6% | 8,800 | 3.6% |
| Kansas | 1,414,000 | 2.0% | 27,200 | 0.3% | 3,500 | 2.0% |
| Kentucky | 1,937,500 | 4.3% | 79,500 | 0.3% | 6,200 | 4.3% |
| Louisiana | 1,975,100 | 2.1% | 40,100 | 0.3% | 6,100 | 2.1% |
| Maine | 623,000 | 0.4% | 2300 | 0.9% | 5,400 | 0.4% |
| Maryland | 2,746,300 | 4.8% | 125,800 | 0.6% | 15,500 | 4.8% |
| Massachusetts | 3,604,900 | 8.6% | 286,100 | 0.5% | 18,500 | 8.6% |
| Michigan | 4,378,500 | 3.1% | 133,100 | 0.2% | 9,600 | 3.1% |
| Minnesota | 2,929,000 | 5.8% | 159,300 | 0.3% | 7,600 | 5.8% |
| Mississippi | 1,146,100 | -1.2% | -14,200 | 0.1% | 1,100 | -1.2% |
| Missouri | 2,867,200 | 2.3% | 64,900 | -0.2% | -4,500 | 2.3% |
| Montana | 476,400 | 6.7% | 30,000 | 1.0% | 4,700 | 6.7% |
| Nebraska | 1,023,500 | 5.8% | 55,900 | 0.2% | 1,600 | 5.8% |
| Nevada | 1,323,800 | 2.5% | 31,700 | 0.2% | 2,500 | 2.5% |
| New Hampshire | 674,800 | 3.9% | 25,100 | 0.2% | 1,200 | 3.9% |
| New Jersey | 4,111,000 | 0.6% | 24,900 | 0.2% | 7,300 | 0.6% |
| New Mexico | 836,700 | -1.5% | -12,500 | 0.0% | 300 | -1.5% |
| New York | 9,493,800 | 8.3% | 724,500 | 0.4% | 35,500 | 8.3% |
| North Carolina | 4,387,600 | 5.3% | 219,400 | 0.1% | 4,900 | 5.3% |
| North Dakota | 434,600 | 20.1% | 72,600 | 0.2% | 800 | 20.1% |
| Ohio | 5,518,700 | 1.9% | 100,600 | 0.3% | 15,000 | 1.9% |
| Oklahoma | 1,655,800 | 3.1% | 49,300 | 0.3% | 5,600 | 3.1% |
| Oregon | 1,863,200 | 7.2% | 125,600 | 0.6% | 10,700 | 7.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,934,200 | 2.1% | 122,700 | 0.3% | 17,900 | 2.1% |
| Rhode Island | 494,600 | 1.4% | 6,800 | 0.7% | 3,300 | 1.4% |
| South Carolina | 2,077,700 | 6.6% | 128,400 | 0.3% | 7,000 | 6.6% |
| South Dakota | 438,000 | 7.3% | 29,800 | 0.6% | 2,600 | 7.3% |
| Tennessee | 3,014,700 | 7.5% | 210,100 | 0.7% | 20,600 | 7.5% |
| Texas | 12,215,100 | 15.7% | 1,652,800 | 0.6% | 77,300 | 15.7% |
| Utah | 1,460,400 | 15.4% | 195,200 | 0.8% | 11,000 | 15.4% |
| Vermont | 314,600 | 2.0% | 6,100 | 0.2% | 700 | 2.0% |
| Virginia | 3,955,300 | 4.7% | 178,300 | 0.5% | 19,000 | 4.7% |
| Washington | 3,305,600 | 10.3% | 308,500 | 0.4% | 14,100 | 10.3% |
| West Virginia | 745,700 | -1.9% | -14,500 | -0.2% | -1,100 | -1.9% |
| Wisconsin | 2,948,100 | 2.5% | 70,500 | 0.5% | 13,800 | 2.5% |
| Wyoming | 278,500 | -5.4% | -15,800 | 0.6% | 1,700 | -5.4% |
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
