Unemployment rates rose in 10 states while it reduced in two states and remained stable in 38 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported.
Jobless rate decreased from a year earlier in 25 states while 9 states and the District saw increases and 16 states had little change, the BLS release said.
The national unemployment rate, 3.8 percent, rose by 0.3 percentage points over the month but was little changed year over year.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states, decreased in 3 states, and was essentially unchanged in 42 states and the District of Columbia in August 2023.
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states and was essentially unchanged in 18 states and the District.
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 are from an establishment survey that measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry.
Maryland had the lowest jobless rate in August, 1.7 percent. The next lowest rates were in New Hampshire and Vermont, 1.8 percent each. The rates in Louisiana (3.3 percent), Maryland (1.7 percent), and North Dakota (1.9 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.)
Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.4 percent. In total, 27 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.8 percent, 2 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
In August, 10 states had over-the-month unemployment rate increases, the largest of which were in New Jersey and Wisconsin (+0.3 percentage point each). North Dakota and South Carolina had the only rate decreases (-0.1 percentage point each). Thirty-eight 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.
Twenty-five states had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which was in Maryland (-1.7 percentage points). Nine states and the District of Columbia had rate increases from August 2022, the largest of which was in New Jersey (+1.2 percentage points). Sixteen states had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a year earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states, decreased in 3 states, and was essentially unchanged in 42 states and the District of Columbia in August 2023. The largest job gains occurred in North Carolina (+17,500), Massachusetts (+15,400), and Maryland (+12,400).
The largest percentage increases occurred in Montana (+0.7 percent), Nevada (+0.6 percent), and Maryland (+0.5 percent). Job losses occurred in Missouri (-13,700, or -0.5 percent), Mississippi (-6,400, or -0.5 percent), and Hawaii (-4,800, or -0.8 percent).
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states and was essentially unchanged in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+402,000), California (+335,200), and Florida (+270,300). The largest percentage increases occurred in Nevada (+3.9 percent), Texas (+3.0 percent), and Florida (+2.8 percent).