The January State and Regional Employment report, released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed that most states started the new year with continued modest job growth and decreases in unemployment rates.
From October to January, 42 states and the District of Columbia added jobs, with Idaho (1.4 percent), Florida (1.1 percent), Maine (1.0 percent), Montana (1.0 percent), and Texas (0.9 percent) making the largest percentage job gains. Over that same period, employment fell in eight states. Of those states, Alaska (-1.0 percent) and Kansas (-0.4 percent) had the largest percentage losses.
From October to January, the unemployment rate fell in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Maine (-0.4 percent), Missouri (-0.4 percent), Oregon (-0.4 percent), and Rhode Island (-0.4 percent) had the largest declines in unemployment. Over those same months, the unemployment rate increased in eight states. The largest increases in unemployment occurred in Tennessee (0.4 percent), Alabama (0.3 percent), Michigan (0.2 percent), and North Carolina (0.2 percent).
Unemployment rate by state, January 2017
| State | Percentage point change since December 2007 | Percentage point change last 3 months | Unemployment rate, January 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2.0 | 0.3 | 6.4% |
| Alaska | 0.1 | -0.1 | 6.5% |
| Arizona | 0.6 | 0.0 | 5.0% |
| Arkansas | -1.4 | -0.2 | 3.8% |
| California | -0.9 | -0.2 | 5.1% |
| Colorado | -1.2 | -0.2 | 2.9% |
| Connecticut | -0.4 | -0.1 | 4.5% |
| Delaware | 0.7 | 0.1 | 4.4% |
| DC | 0.0 | -0.1 | 5.7% |
| Florida | 0.1 | 0.1 | 5.0% |
| Georgia | 0.4 | 0.1 | 5.5% |
| Hawaii | -0.4 | -0.1 | 2.8% |
| Idaho | 0.4 | -0.1 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 0.2 | -0.1 | 5.7% |
| Indiana | -0.8 | -0.2 | 4.0% |
| Iowa | -0.4 | -0.3 | 3.3% |
| Kansas | -0.2 | -0.2 | 4.1% |
| Kentucky | -0.5 | 0.1 | 5.0% |
| Louisiana | 1.8 | -0.2 | 5.9% |
| Maine | -1.4 | -0.4 | 3.5% |
| Maryland | 0.8 | 0.0 | 4.2% |
| Massachusetts | -1.4 | 0.0 | 3.2% |
| Michigan | -2.1 | 0.2 | 5.2% |
| Minnesota | -0.7 | 0.0 | 4.0% |
| Mississippi | -0.4 | -0.2 | 5.5% |
| Missouri | -1.2 | -0.4 | 4.2% |
| Montana | -0.3 | -0.1 | 3.9% |
| Nebraska | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.3% |
| Nevada | -0.1 | -0.3 | 5.0% |
| New Hampshire | -0.8 | -0.1 | 2.7% |
| New Jersey | 0.0 | -0.2 | 4.6% |
| New Mexico | 2.7 | -0.1 | 6.7% |
| New York | -0.3 | -0.3 | 4.6% |
| North Carolina | 0.3 | 0.2 | 5.3% |
| North Dakota | -0.1 | 0.0 | 3.0% |
| Ohio | -0.7 | 0.0 | 5.0% |
| Oklahoma | 1.1 | -0.2 | 4.7% |
| Oregon | -1.0 | -0.4 | 4.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 0.4 | -0.3 | 5.2% |
| Rhode Island | -1.4 | -0.4 | 4.7% |
| South Carolina | -1.3 | 0.0 | 4.4% |
| South Dakota | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2.9% |
| Tennessee | -0.1 | 0.4 | 5.4% |
| Texas | 0.5 | 0.0 | 4.8% |
| Utah | 0.1 | -0.1 | 3.1% |
| Vermont | -1.1 | -0.1 | 3.1% |
| Virginia | 0.5 | -0.1 | 4.0% |
| Washington | 0.3 | -0.2 | 5.1% |
| West Virginia | 0.9 | -0.3 | 5.6% |
| Wisconsin | -0.9 | -0.3 | 3.9% |
| Wyoming | 2.0 | -0.2 | 4.8% |
Note: The unemployment rate measures the share of jobless persons in the labor force (the sum of employment and unemployed persons) and not the entire population. Persons who are not actively looking for work are not included in this measure. All data are seasonally adjusted.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics' Local Area Unemployment Statistics data
Change in employment by state December 2007–January 2017
| State | Total employment, January 2017 | Percent change since December 2007 | Change since December 2007 | Percent change last 3 months | Change last 3 months | Percent change since December 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,995,300 | -0.9% | -18,100 | 0.6% | 12,300 | -0.9% |
| Alaska | 327,300 | 2.6% | 8,300 | -1.0% | -3,300 | 2.6% |
| Arizona | 2,727,600 | 1.8% | 48,100 | -0.1% | -3,400 | 1.8% |
| Arkansas | 1,233,000 | 2.1% | 25,600 | -0.1% | -1700 | 2.1% |
| California | 16,647,600 | 7.6% | 1,169,800 | 0.3% | 44,100 | 7.6% |
| Colorado | 2,626,200 | 11.7% | 275,700 | 0.2% | 5,000 | 11.7% |
| Connecticut | 1,683,200 | -1.3% | -22,100 | 0.2% | 4,000 | -1.3% |
| Delaware | 456,700 | 3.6% | 16,000 | 0.6% | 2800 | 3.6% |
| DC | 788,000 | 12.6% | 87,900 | 0.2% | 1,600 | 12.6% |
| Florida | 8,546,700 | 7.8% | 614,900 | 1.1% | 89,100 | 7.8% |
| Georgia | 4,442,200 | 6.5% | 271,900 | 0.4% | 19,900 | 6.5% |
| Hawaii | 649,900 | 3.5% | 22,100 | -0.1% | -900 | 3.5% |
| Idaho | 712,800 | 8.6% | 56,200 | 1.4% | 10,100 | 8.6% |
| Illinois | 6,023,000 | 0.6% | 37,800 | 0.0% | 400 | 0.6% |
| Indiana | 3,102,700 | 3.7% | 109,400 | 0.1% | 2,100 | 3.7% |
| Iowa | 1,581,700 | 3.7% | 56,500 | 0.5% | 8,500 | 3.7% |
| Kansas | 1,407,000 | 1.5% | 20,200 | -0.4% | -5,300 | 1.5% |
| Kentucky | 1,934,900 | 4.1% | 76,900 | 0.7% | 14,100 | 4.1% |
| Louisiana | 1,975,000 | 2.1% | 40,000 | 0.3% | 5,900 | 2.1% |
| Maine | 622,000 | 0.2% | 1,300 | 1.0% | 6,000 | 0.2% |
| Maryland | 2,737,500 | 4.5% | 117,000 | 0.6% | 15,700 | 4.5% |
| Massachusetts | 3,599,400 | 8.5% | 280,600 | 0.7% | 24,900 | 8.5% |
| Michigan | 4,383,600 | 3.3% | 138,200 | 0.4% | 18,700 | 3.3% |
| Minnesota | 2,913,100 | 5.2% | 143,400 | 0.2% | 4,700 | 5.2% |
| Mississippi | 1,145,500 | -1.3% | -14,800 | -0.1% | -1,600 | -1.3% |
| Missouri | 2,876,400 | 2.6% | 74,100 | 0.6% | 16,100 | 2.6% |
| Montana | 474,400 | 6.3% | 28,000 | 1.0% | 4,800 | 6.3% |
| Nebraska | 1,019,500 | 5.4% | 51,900 | 0.2% | 1,900 | 5.4% |
| Nevada | 1,322,300 | 2.3% | 30,200 | 0.5% | 7,000 | 2.3% |
| New Hampshire | 680,400 | 4.7% | 30,700 | 0.9% | 6,100 | 4.7% |
| New Jersey | 4,116,300 | 0.7% | 30,200 | 0.5% | 20600 | 0.7% |
| New Mexico | 833,700 | -1.8% | -15,500 | 0.3% | 2900 | -1.8% |
| New York | 9,487,000 | 8.2% | 717,700 | 0.7% | 66,200 | 8.2% |
| North Carolina | 4,376,100 | 5.0% | 207,900 | 0.3% | 12,000 | 5.0% |
| North Dakota | 435,100 | 20.2% | 73,100 | -0.1% | -300 | 20.2% |
| Ohio | 5,501,600 | 1.5% | 83,500 | 0.2% | 10,100 | 1.5% |
| Oklahoma | 1,651,700 | 2.8% | 45,200 | 0.0% | -300 | 2.8% |
| Oregon | 1,855,200 | 6.8% | 117,600 | 0.6% | 10,400 | 6.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,931,600 | 2.1% | 120,100 | 0.4% | 23,600 | 2.1% |
| Rhode Island | 492,700 | 1.0% | 4,900 | 0.3% | 1,500 | 1.0% |
| South Carolina | 2,076,000 | 6.5% | 126,700 | 0.8% | 16000 | 6.5% |
| South Dakota | 435,300 | 6.6% | 27,100 | 0.2% | 1,000 | 6.6% |
| Tennessee | 2,995,300 | 6.8% | 190,700 | 0.2% | 6,700 | 6.8% |
| Texas | 12,189,100 | 15.4% | 1,626,800 | 0.9% | 110,300 | 15.4% |
| Utah | 1,452,000 | 14.8% | 186,800 | 0.6% | 9,300 | 14.8% |
| Vermont | 315,200 | 2.2% | 6,700 | 0.4% | 1,300 | 2.2% |
| Virginia | 3,950,500 | 4.6% | 173,500 | 0.3% | 11,100 | 4.6% |
| Washington | 3,284,300 | 9.6% | 287,200 | 0.3% | 9,400 | 9.6% |
| West Virginia | 747,200 | -1.7% | -13,000 | 0.2% | 1,700 | -1.7% |
| Wisconsin | 2,934,500 | 2.0% | 56,900 | 0.2% | 4400 | 2.0% |
| Wyoming | 278,000 | -5.5% | -16,300 | 0.4% | 1000 | -5.5% |
Note: Total nonfarm employment is the total number of jobs, part-time or full-time, in non-farm establishments.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Establishment Survey data
