REGIONAL AND STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- MARCH 2014
Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in March. Twenty-one
states had unemployment rate decreases, 17 states and the District of Columbia had
increases, and 12 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
today. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases
from a year earlier and four states had increases. The national jobless rate was
unchanged from February at 6.7 percent but was 0.8 percentage point lower than in
March 2013.
In March 2014, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 34 states, decreased in 16
states, and was unchanged in the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month
increases in employment occurred in Florida (+22,900), North Carolina (+19,400), and
Georgia (+14,600). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in
Pennsylvania (-8,400), followed by Virginia (-5,100) and Illinois (-3,200). The
largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment occurred in North Carolina,
North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, and Wyoming (+0.5 percent each). The largest
over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Nebraska (-0.3 percent),
followed by New Mexico and Rhode Island (-0.2 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm
employment increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 5 states.
The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+4.5 percent),
followed by Nevada (+3.8 percent) and Florida (+3.0 percent). The largest over-the-year
percentage decreases in employment occurred in Alaska, Kentucky, and New Mexico (-0.2
percent each).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In March, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 7.2 percent,
while the South again had the lowest rate, 6.0 percent. Over the month, only the Midwest
had a statistically significant unemployment rate change (-0.1 percentage point).
Significant over-the-year rate declines occurred in all four regions: the South (-1.2
percentage points), Northeast (-1.1 points), West (-1.0 point), and Midwest (-0.8 point).
(See table 1.)
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific continued to have the highest jobless
rate, 7.6 percent in March. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 5.1 percent.
Two divisions had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes: the
East North Central and West South Central (-0.2 percentage point each). Eight divisions
had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were decreases. The largest
of these declines occurred in the South Atlantic (-1.5 percentage points) and Middle
Atlantic (-1.4 points).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rate among the states in March, 8.7 percent. The
next highest rates were in Nevada and Illinois, 8.5 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively.
North Dakota again had the lowest jobless rate, 2.6 percent. In total, 24 states had
unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 6.7 percent, 5 states had
measurably higher rates, and 21 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were
not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 3.)
Four states had statistically significant unemployment rate declines in March: Ohio (-0.4
percentage point), Vermont (-0.3 point), and Indiana and Massachusetts (-0.2 point each).
Four states had significant over-the-month rate increases: Missouri and New Mexico (+0.3
percentage point each) and Florida and Nebraska (+0.1 point each). The remaining 42 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.
South Carolina (-2.5 percentage points), North Carolina (-2.2 points), and Indiana (-2.0
points) had the largest unemployment rate declines from March 2013. Twenty-two additional
states had smaller but also statistically significant rate decreases over the year. The
remaining 25 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably
different from those of a year earlier. (See table B.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In March 2014, seven states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in
employment, all of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains
occurred in Florida (+22,900), North Carolina (+19,400), and Georgia (+14,600).
Over the year, 26 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which
were positive. The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in California (+325,100),
followed by Texas (+310,000) and Florida (+225,100).
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