Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary – September, 2015

Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in September. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from August, six states had increases, and seven states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, seven states had increases, and two states had no change. The national jobless rate was unchanged from August at 5.1 percent and was 0.8 percentage point lower than in September 2014.

In September 2015, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 27 states, increased in 20 states and the District of Columbia, and remained unchanged in 3 states. The largest over-the-month decreases in employment occurred in Missouri (-16,500), Pennsylvania (-16,400), and Michigan (-9,800). The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas (+26,600), New York (+12,000), and Georgia (+9,100). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Hawaii  (-1.3 percent), followed by Vermont and Wyoming (-0.7 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment occurred in  Delaware and Kansas (+0.4 percent each), followed by South Carolina (+0.3 percent). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 46 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 4 states. The largest over-the-year percentage increases occurred in Utah (+3.7 percent), South Carolina (+3.2 percent), and Idaho and Washington (+3.1 percent each). The over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in North Dakota (-1.6 percent), West Virginia (-1.5 percent), Wyoming (-0.9 percent), and Alaska (-0.1 percent).

Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In September, the Midwest had the lowest regional unemployment rate, 4.5 percent, while the West had the highest rate, 5.6 percent. Over the month, no region had a statistically significant unemployment rate change. Significant over-the-year rate decreases occurred in all four regions: the Midwest (-1.0 percentage point), Northeast and West (-0.9 point each), and South (-0.7 point). (See table 1.)

Among the nine geographic divisions, the West North Central had the lowest unemployment rate, 4.0 percent in September. The East South Central and Pacific had the highest rates, 5.7 percent each. Over the month, no division had a statistically significant jobless rate change. All divisions except the Mountain had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines. The largest of these decreases occurred in the East North Central and Pacific (-1.3 percentage points each).

State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)

North Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in September, 2.8 percent, followed by Nebraska, 2.9 percent. West Virginia had the highest rate, 7.3 percent. In total, 19 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 5.1 percent, 12 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 19 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)

In September, 11 states had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines, the largest of which occurred in Missouri, Rhode Island, and South Carolina (-0.3 percentage point each). The remaining 39 states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not measurably 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.)

Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant unemployment rate declines from September 2014, the largest of which occurred in Rhode Island (-1.8 percentage points) and Michigan (-1.7 points). The only significant over-the-year rate increase was in West Virginia (+1.0 percentage point). The remaining 23 states had rates that were not appreciably different from those of a year earlier. (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

In September 2015, nine states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, six of which were negative. The largest significant job decreases occurred in Missouri (-16,500), Pennsylvania (-16,400), and Hawaii (-8,100). The significant job gains occurred in Texas (+26,600), South Carolina (+6,300), and Kansas (+4,900). (See tables D and 5.)

Over the year, 32 states had statistically significant increases in employment and West Virginia had a significant decrease (-11,400). The largest significant over-the-year job increase occurred in California (+444,300), followed by Florida (+235,700) and Texas (+224,800). (See table E.)

• Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Technical Note
• Table 1. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, seasonally adjusted
• Table 2. Civilian labor force and unemployment by census region and division, not seasonally adjusted
• Table 3. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, seasonally adjusted
• Table 4. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, not seasonally adjusted
• Table 5. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, seasonally adjusted
• Table 6. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, not seasonally adjusted
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Source: BLS