STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT — MARCH 2017

April 21, 2017 Mychal Wilson

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Economic News Release
For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, April 21, 2017 USDL-17-0446

Unemployment rates were lower in March in 17 states and stable in 33 states
and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
today. Eighteen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, and
32 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment
rate declined by 0.2 percentage point from February to 4.5 percent and was
0.5 point lower than in March 2016.

Nonfarm payroll employment decreased in 4 states in March 2017, increased
in 3, and was essentially unchanged in 43 states and the District of Columbia.
Over the year, 27 states added nonfarm payroll jobs, 2 states lost jobs, and
21 states and the District were essentially unchanged.

Unemployment

Colorado had the lowest unemployment rate in March, 2.6 percent, closely
followed by Hawaii, 2.7 percent, and New Hampshire, North Dakota, and South
Dakota, 2.8 percent each. The rates in Arkansas (3.6 percent), Colorado (2.6
percent), Maine (3.0 percent), and Oregon (3.8 percent) set new series lows.
(All state series begin in 1976.) New Mexico had the highest jobless rate,
6.7 percent. In total, 19 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S.
figure of 4.5 percent, 7 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates,
and 24 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the
nation. (See tables A and 1.)

In March, 17 states had unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which was
in Illinois (-0.5 percentage point). The remaining 33 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.)

Eighteen states had unemployment rate changes from March 2016, all of which were decreases. The largest of these declines occurred in West Virginia (-1.3
percentage points) and Illinois and Nevada (-1.2 points each). (See table C.)

Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Four states had over-the-month decreases in nonfarm payroll employment in March 2017, and three states had increases. The largest decrease in employment over
the month occurred in New Jersey (-17,500), followed by Pennsylvania (-16,100),
Missouri (-13,400), and Louisiana (-8,500). In percentage terms, the largest
decrease occurred in Missouri (-0.5 percent), followed by Louisiana and New
Jersey (-0.4 percent each) and Pennsylvania (-0.3 percent). The increases in
employment over the month occurred in Washington (+10,700), Tennessee (+8,600),
and Maine (+3,000). The largest percentage increase occurred in Maine (+0.5
percent), followed by Tennessee and Washington (+0.3 percent each).
(See tables D and 3.)

Twenty-seven states had over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment
in March. The largest job gains occurred in California (+346,400), Texas (+249,000),
and Florida (+246,100). The largest percentage gain occurred in Utah (+3.2 percent),
followed by Florida, Georgia, and Nevada (+3.0 percent each). Two states had over-
the-year declines in employment, Alaska (-6,900, or -2.1 percent) and Wyoming
(-6,100, or -2.1 percent). (See table E.)

_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for March
is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled
to be released on Friday, May 19, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from February 2017 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
————————————————————————-
| Rate |
|———–|———–| Over-the-month
State | February | March | change(p)
| 2017 | 2017(p) |
————————————————————————-
Alabama ……………………| 6.2 | 5.8 | -0.4
California …………………| 5.0 | 4.9 | -.1
Colorado …………………..| 2.9 | 2.6 | -.3
Florida ……………………| 5.0 | 4.8 | -.2
Georgia ……………………| 5.3 | 5.1 | -.2
Illinois …………………..| 5.4 | 4.9 | -.5
Kansas …………………….| 4.0 | 3.8 | -.2
Maine ……………………..| 3.2 | 3.0 | -.2
Minnesota ………………….| 4.0 | 3.8 | -.2
Nebraska …………………..| 3.2 | 3.1 | -.1
| | |
New Jersey …………………| 4.5 | 4.2 | -.3
New York …………………..| 4.4 | 4.3 | -.1
North Dakota ……………….| 3.0 | 2.8 | -.2
Washington …………………| 4.9 | 4.7 | -.2
West Virginia ………………| 5.2 | 4.9 | -.3
Wisconsin ………………….| 3.7 | 3.4 | -.3
Wyoming ……………………| 4.7 | 4.5 | -.2
————————————————————————-
p = preliminary.

Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from March 2016 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
————————————————————————-
| Rate |
|———–|———–| Over-the-year
State | March | March | change(p)
| 2016 | 2017(p) |
————————————————————————-
California …………………| 5.6 | 4.9 | -0.7
Colorado …………………..| 3.3 | 2.6 | -.7
Illinois …………………..| 6.1 | 4.9 | -1.2
Indiana ……………………| 4.7 | 3.9 | -.8
Iowa ………………………| 3.8 | 3.1 | -.7
Maine ……………………..| 3.7 | 3.0 | -.7
Mississippi ………………..| 6.0 | 5.0 | -1.0
Nevada …………………….| 6.0 | 4.8 | -1.2
New Jersey …………………| 5.1 | 4.2 | -.9
New York …………………..| 4.8 | 4.3 | -.5
| | |
North Dakota ……………….| 3.3 | 2.8 | -.5
Oregon …………………….| 4.9 | 3.8 | -1.1
Rhode Island ……………….| 5.4 | 4.3 | -1.1
South Carolina ……………..| 5.3 | 4.4 | -.9
Washington …………………| 5.6 | 4.7 | -.9
West Virginia ………………| 6.2 | 4.9 | -1.3
Wisconsin ………………….| 4.1 | 3.4 | -.7
Wyoming ……………………| 5.5 | 4.5 | -1.0
————————————————————————-
p = preliminary.

Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
February 2017 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
————————————————————————————–
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | February | March |—————————
| 2017 | 2017(p) | Level | Percent
————————————————————————————–
Louisiana ………………..| 1,983,600 | 1,975,100 | -8,500 | -0.4
Maine ……………………| 620,000 | 623,000 | 3,000 | .5
Missouri …………………| 2,880,600 | 2,867,200 | -13,400 | -.5
New Jersey ……………….| 4,128,500 | 4,111,000 | -17,500 | -.4
Pennsylvania ……………..| 5,950,300 | 5,934,200 | -16,100 | -.3
Tennessee ………………..| 3,006,100 | 3,014,700 | 8,600 | .3
Washington ……………….| 3,294,900 | 3,305,600 | 10,700 | .3
————————————————————————————–
p = preliminary.

Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
March 2016 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
————————————————————————————–
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | March | March |—————————
| 2016 | 2017(p) | Level | Percent
————————————————————————————–
Alabama ………………….| 1,967,700 | 1,996,200 | 28,500 | 1.4
Alaska …………………..| 335,300 | 328,400 | -6,900 | -2.1
Arizona ………………….| 2,685,000 | 2,738,000 | 53,000 | 2.0
California ……………….| 16,347,600 | 16,694,000 | 346,400 | 2.1
Colorado …………………| 2,585,300 | 2,634,400 | 49,100 | 1.9
Florida ………………….| 8,307,900 | 8,554,000 | 246,100 | 3.0
Georgia ………………….| 4,335,100 | 4,466,100 | 131,000 | 3.0
Idaho ……………………| 690,400 | 709,100 | 18,700 | 2.7
Indiana ………………….| 3,074,200 | 3,119,300 | 45,100 | 1.5
Kentucky …………………| 1,908,600 | 1,937,500 | 28,900 | 1.5
| | | |
Maryland …………………| 2,702,100 | 2,746,300 | 44,200 | 1.6
Massachusetts …………….| 3,555,900 | 3,604,900 | 49,000 | 1.4
Michigan …………………| 4,298,700 | 4,378,500 | 79,800 | 1.9
Minnesota ………………..| 2,884,700 | 2,929,000 | 44,300 | 1.5
Missouri …………………| 2,828,700 | 2,867,200 | 38,500 | 1.4
Montana ………………….| 466,400 | 476,400 | 10,000 | 2.1
Nevada …………………..| 1,285,500 | 1,323,800 | 38,300 | 3.0
New Jersey ……………….| 4,061,300 | 4,111,000 | 49,700 | 1.2
New York …………………| 9,379,500 | 9,493,800 | 114,300 | 1.2
North Carolina ……………| 4,317,900 | 4,387,600 | 69,700 | 1.6
| | | |
Oregon …………………..| 1,823,700 | 1,863,200 | 39,500 | 2.2
Pennsylvania ……………..| 5,873,600 | 5,934,200 | 60,600 | 1.0
South Carolina ……………| 2,041,900 | 2,077,700 | 35,800 | 1.8
Tennessee ………………..| 2,951,200 | 3,014,700 | 63,500 | 2.2
Texas ……………………| 11,966,100 | 12,215,100 | 249,000 | 2.1
Utah …………………….| 1,415,100 | 1,460,400 | 45,300 | 3.2
Virginia …………………| 3,909,500 | 3,955,300 | 45,800 | 1.2
Washington ……………….| 3,213,200 | 3,305,600 | 92,400 | 2.9
Wyoming ………………….| 284,600 | 278,500 | -6,100 | -2.1
————————————————————————————–
p = preliminary.

Technical information:
Employment: (202) 691-6559 * sminfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/sae
Unemployment: (202) 691-6392 * lausinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/lau

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov