Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in November. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from October, and five states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Forty-two states had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, seven states and the District of Columbia had increases, and one state had no change. The national jobless rate declined to 7.0 percent from October and was 0.8 of a percentage point lower than in November 2012.
In November 2013, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 43 states and decreased in 7 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+44,300), Texas (+28,700), and Indiana (+25,200). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Ohio (-12,000), followed by North Carolina (-6,500) and Washington (-6,000).
The largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment occurred in Indiana (+0.9 percent), followed by Nevada (+0.8 percent) and Vermont (+0.7 percent). The largest over-the-month percentage declines in employment occurred in the District of Columbia, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Washington (-0.2 percent each).
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 49 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in Alaska (-1.0 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+4.0 percent), followed by Florida and Texas (+2.5 percent each) and Georgia and Idaho (+2.3 percent each).
Regional Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In November, the West continued to have the highest regional unemployment rate, 7.6 percent, while the South had the lowest rate, 6.7 percent. Over the month, all four regions had statistically significant unemployment rate declines: the Northeast (-0.3 percentage point) and Midwest, South, and West (-0.2 point each). Significant over-the-year rate changes occurred in three regions: the West (-1.1 percentage points), the Northeast (-0.8 point), and the South (-0.6 point).
Among the nine geographic divisions, the Pacific had the highest jobless rate, 8.0 percent in November. The West North Central again had the lowest rate, 4.9 percent. Seven divisions had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate changes, all of which were declines. The largest of these declines occurred in the Middle Atlantic (-0.4 percentage point). Five divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier: the Pacific (-1.3 percentage points), South Atlantic (-1.2 points), Middle Atlantic (-1.1 points), Mountain (-0.7 point), and West North Central (-0.5 point).
State Unemployment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Nevada and Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rates among the states in November, 9.0 percent each. The next highest rates were in Michigan, 8.8 percent, and Illinois, 8.7 percent. North Dakota continued to have the lowest jobless rate, 2.6 percent. In total, 18 states had jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 7.0 percent, 8 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates, and 24 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate decreases in November, the largest of which occurred in Idaho, New Jersey, and North Carolina (-0.6 percentage point each). The remaining 25 states had jobless rates that were not measurably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
Seventeen states had statistically significant unemployment rate changes from November 2012, all of which were declines. The largest of these occurred in North Carolina (-2.0 percentage points), followed by New Jersey (-1.8 points) and Florida (-1.6 points).
Nonfarm Payroll Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
In November 2013, 14 states had statistically significant over-the-month changes in employment, all of which were increases. The largest statistically significant job gains occurred in California (+44,300), Texas (+28,700), and Indiana (+25,200).
Over the year, 33 states had statistically significant changes in employment, all of which were positive. The largest over-the-year job increase occurred in Texas (+274,200), followed by California (+226,200) and Florida (+183,100).
States are with statistically significant unemployment rate changes from October 2013 to November 2013, after seasonal adjustments started from lofty numbers. Three western states led by Arizona were on the list with the largest change in unemployment rates although two started with some of the highest unemployment rates of those showing reductions. Arizona dropped 4/10 of a percent to 7.8% while California only dropped 2/10 of a percent to 8.5%. Three states Idaho, North Carolina and New jersey all dropped 6/10 of a percent. Nevada is still the highest at 9% dropping 3/10 of a percent.