Unemployment rates were higher in January in 4 states, lower in 2 states, and stable in 44 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Article continues below
Twenty-five states had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 6 states had decreases, and 19 states and the District had little change.
The national unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent in January 2024 and was little changed from January 2023.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 8 states and was essentially unchanged in 42 states and the District of Columbia in January 2024.
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 27 states and was essentially unchanged in 23 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.
North Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in January, 1.9 percent.
The next lowest rate was in South Dakota, 2.1 percent.
Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.3 percent, closely followed by California, 5.2 percent.
In total, 16 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S.
figure of 3.7 percent, 7 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 27 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
Four states had unemployment rate increases in January: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Washington (+0.2 percentage point each) and California (+0.1 point).
Massachusetts and Wisconsin had the only rate decreases (-0.2 percentage point each).
Forty-four 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 unemployment rate increases from January 2023, the largest of which were in Maine and New Jersey (+0.9 percentage point each).
Six states had over-the-year rate decreases, the largest of which were in Massachusetts and Wyoming (-0.5 percentage point each).
Nineteen states and the District of Columbia 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 8 states and was essentially unchanged in 42 states and the District of Columbia in January 2024.
The largest job gains occurred in New York (+59,300), California (+58,100), and Florida (+38,800).
The largest percentage increases occurred in New York and Vermont (+0.6 percent each), followed by Massachusetts and New Jersey (+0.5 percent each).
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 27 states and was essentially unchanged in 23 states and the District of Columbia.
The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+263,900), Florida (+259,600), and California (+225,400).
The largest percentage increase occurred in Nevada (+3.8 percent), followed by Alaska and South Carolina (+3.0 percent each). ■