Unemployment rates were lower in February in 9 states, higher in 3 states and the District of Columbia, and stable in 38 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
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Thirteen states had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 10 states and the District had decreases, and 27 states had little change.
The national unemployment rate edged up to 3.6 percent but was 0.2 percentage point lower than in February 2022.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 6 states and was essentially unchanged in 44 states and the District of Columbia in February 2023.
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 46 states and was essentially unchanged in 4 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.
These data pertain to jobs on payrolls defined by where the establishments are located.
For more information about the concepts and statistical methodologies used by these two programs, see the Technical Note.
North Dakota and South Dakota had the lowest jobless rates in February, 2.1 percent each.
The next lowest rates were in Nebraska, 2.3 percent, and Montana and Utah, 2.4 percent each.
The rates in Maryland (2.9 percent), Montana (2.4 percent), and Wisconsin (2.7 percent) set new series lows.
All state series begin in 1976. Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.5 percent.
In total, 17 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S.
figure of 3.6 percent, 10 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 23 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
In February, nine states had over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which were in Arkansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin (-0.2 percentage point each).
Three states and the District of Columbia had over-the-month increases, the largest of which were in Massachusetts and the District (+0.2 percentage point each).
Thirty-eight states 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.
Thirteen states had over-the-year unemployment rate increases, the largest of which was in Oregon (+1.0 percentage point).
Ten states and the District of Columbia had rate decreases from February 2022, the largest of which were in New Mexico (-1.4 percentage points) and New Jersey (-1.1 points).
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 6 states and was essentially unchanged in 44 states and the District of Columbia in February 2023.
The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+58,200), Florida (+38,800), and Washington (+15,300).
The largest percentage increases occurred in Hawaii and Utah (+0.6 percent each), followed by Florida, Texas, and Washington (+0.4 percent each).
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 46 states and was essentially unchanged in 4 states and the District of Columbia.
The largest job increases occurred in Texas (+611,400), California (+486,500), and Florida (+427,400).
The largest percentage increase occurred in Nevada (+5.1 percent), followed by Florida and Texas (+4.6 percent each). ■