For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, May 17, 2024 USDL-24-0947
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
STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- APRIL 2024
Unemployment rates were lower in April in 5 states, higher in 2 states, and stable in 43
states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Thirty states had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 1 state had a decrease, and
19 states and the District had little change. The national unemployment rate changed little
at 3.9 percent but was 0.5 percentage point higher than in April 2023.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 6 states and was essentially unchanged in 44 states
and the District of Columbia in April 2024. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment
increased in 31 states and was essentially unchanged in 19 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.
Unemployment
North Dakota and South Dakota had the lowest jobless rates in April, 2.0 percent each. The
next lowest rate was in Vermont, 2.1 percent. The rate in Mississippi, 2.8 percent, set a
new series low. (All state series begin in 1976.) California had the highest unemployment
rate, 5.3 percent, closely followed by the District of Columbia, 5.2 percent, and Nevada,
5.1 percent. In total, 24 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.9
percent, 5 states and the District had higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not
appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
Five states had unemployment rate decreases in April: Arizona, Maine, Mississippi, and
Montana (-0.2 percentage point each) and Virginia (-0.1 point). Florida and Maryland had
the only rate increases (+0.1 percentage point each). Forty-three 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.)
Thirty states had unemployment rate increases from April 2023, the largest of which was in
Rhode Island (+1.4 percentage points). Massachusetts had the only over-the-year rate decrease
(-0.3 percentage point). 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. (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 6 states and was essentially unchanged in 44 states
and the District of Columbia in April 2024. The largest job gains occurred in Florida
(+45,300), Texas (+42,600), and Missouri (+16,700). The largest percentage increases occurred
in Missouri (+0.6 percent), Florida (+0.5 percent), and Alabama (+0.4 percent). (See tables
D and 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 31 states and was essentially
unchanged in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job gains occurred in
Texas (+306,000), Florida (+240,500), and California (+206,500). The largest percentage
increases occurred in Nevada and South Carolina (+3.4 percent each), followed by Alaska
(+3.0 percent). (See table E.)
_____________
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled
to be released on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment
and Unemployment news release for May is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 25,
2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., April 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 3.9
|
Alabama .............................| 3.1
California ..........................| 5.3
District of Columbia ................| 5.2
Florida .............................| 3.3
Georgia .............................| 3.1
Hawaii ..............................| 3.1
Idaho ...............................| 3.3
Illinois ............................| 4.8
Iowa ................................| 2.8
Kansas ..............................| 2.8
|
Maine ...............................| 3.1
Maryland ............................| 2.6
Massachusetts .......................| 2.9
Minnesota ...........................| 2.7
Mississippi .........................| 2.8
Montana .............................| 3.1
Nebraska ............................| 2.5
Nevada ..............................| 5.1
New Hampshire .......................| 2.6
New Jersey ..........................| 4.7
|
North Dakota ........................| 2.0
Pennsylvania ........................| 3.4
South Dakota ........................| 2.0
Tennessee ...........................| 3.1
Utah ................................| 2.8
Vermont .............................| 2.1
Virginia ............................| 2.8
Washington ..........................| 4.8
Wisconsin ...........................| 2.9
Wyoming .............................| 2.8
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from March 2024 to April 2024, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | March | April | change(p)
| 2024 | 2024(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona ........................| 3.8 | 3.6 | -0.2
Florida ........................| 3.2 | 3.3 | .1
Maine ..........................| 3.3 | 3.1 | -.2
Maryland .......................| 2.5 | 2.6 | .1
Mississippi ....................| 3.0 | 2.8 | -.2
Montana ........................| 3.3 | 3.1 | -.2
Virginia .......................| 2.9 | 2.8 | -.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from April 2023 to April 2024, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | April | April | change(p)
| 2023 | 2024(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 2.3 | 3.1 | 0.8
Alaska .........................| 3.9 | 4.6 | .7
Arkansas .......................| 2.8 | 3.4 | .6
California .....................| 4.5 | 5.3 | .8
Colorado .......................| 3.0 | 3.7 | .7
Connecticut ....................| 3.3 | 4.4 | 1.1
Florida ........................| 2.7 | 3.3 | .6
Idaho ..........................| 2.9 | 3.3 | .4
Illinois .......................| 4.2 | 4.8 | .6
Indiana ........................| 3.2 | 3.6 | .4
| | |
Kentucky .......................| 4.0 | 4.6 | .6
Louisiana ......................| 3.4 | 4.3 | .9
Maine ..........................| 2.4 | 3.1 | .7
Maryland .......................| 1.9 | 2.6 | .7
Massachusetts ..................| 3.2 | 2.9 | -.3
Missouri .......................| 2.9 | 3.4 | .5
Montana ........................| 2.6 | 3.1 | .5
Nebraska .......................| 2.0 | 2.5 | .5
New Hampshire ..................| 1.8 | 2.6 | .8
New Jersey .....................| 4.1 | 4.7 | .6
| | |
New York .......................| 3.9 | 4.2 | .3
North Carolina .................| 3.3 | 3.5 | .2
Ohio ...........................| 3.4 | 4.0 | .6
Oklahoma .......................| 2.9 | 3.5 | .6
Oregon .........................| 3.4 | 4.2 | .8
Rhode Island ...................| 2.7 | 4.1 | 1.4
South Carolina .................| 2.9 | 3.2 | .3
Utah ...........................| 2.5 | 2.8 | .3
Vermont ........................| 1.7 | 2.1 | .4
Washington .....................| 3.8 | 4.8 | 1.0
West Virginia ..................| 3.5 | 4.3 | .8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
March 2024 to April 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | March | April |---------------------------
| 2024 | 2024(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................| 2,193,500 | 2,202,600 | 9,100 | 0.4
Florida ......................| 9,904,300 | 9,949,600 | 45,300 | .5
Georgia ......................| 4,951,900 | 4,967,400 | 15,500 | .3
Michigan .....................| 4,479,300 | 4,494,100 | 14,800 | .3
Missouri .....................| 3,025,900 | 3,042,600 | 16,700 | .6
Texas ........................| 14,116,400 | 14,159,000 | 42,600 | .3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
April 2023 to April 2024, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | April | April |---------------------------
| 2023 | 2024(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................| 2,156,100 | 2,202,600 | 46,500 | 2.2
Alaska .......................| 325,600 | 335,500 | 9,900 | 3.0
Arizona ......................| 3,187,500 | 3,260,600 | 73,100 | 2.3
Arkansas .....................| 1,348,500 | 1,372,100 | 23,600 | 1.8
California ...................| 17,784,800 | 17,991,300 | 206,500 | 1.2
Colorado .....................| 2,929,300 | 2,981,100 | 51,800 | 1.8
Connecticut ..................| 1,684,200 | 1,705,800 | 21,600 | 1.3
Florida ......................| 9,709,100 | 9,949,600 | 240,500 | 2.5
Georgia ......................| 4,897,500 | 4,967,400 | 69,900 | 1.4
Idaho ........................| 844,300 | 863,600 | 19,300 | 2.3
| | | |
Indiana ......................| 3,230,700 | 3,276,600 | 45,900 | 1.4
Iowa .........................| 1,587,900 | 1,610,800 | 22,900 | 1.4
Kansas .......................| 1,440,000 | 1,463,000 | 23,000 | 1.6
Maine ........................| 645,100 | 656,200 | 11,100 | 1.7
Minnesota ....................| 2,975,600 | 3,023,900 | 48,300 | 1.6
Missouri .....................| 2,967,700 | 3,042,600 | 74,900 | 2.5
Montana ......................| 518,600 | 528,700 | 10,100 | 1.9
Nebraska .....................| 1,046,400 | 1,063,300 | 16,900 | 1.6
Nevada .......................| 1,528,800 | 1,581,400 | 52,600 | 3.4
New Jersey ...................| 4,298,400 | 4,374,400 | 76,000 | 1.8
| | | |
New York .....................| 9,678,600 | 9,829,700 | 151,100 | 1.6
North Carolina ...............| 4,926,500 | 4,987,900 | 61,400 | 1.2
Oklahoma .....................| 1,751,000 | 1,781,500 | 30,500 | 1.7
Pennsylvania .................| 6,068,500 | 6,149,500 | 81,000 | 1.3
Rhode Island .................| 500,800 | 513,600 | 12,800 | 2.6
South Carolina ...............| 2,290,800 | 2,368,100 | 77,300 | 3.4
Texas ........................| 13,853,000 | 14,159,000 | 306,000 | 2.2
Utah .........................| 1,713,100 | 1,752,500 | 39,400 | 2.3
Virginia .....................| 4,156,600 | 4,233,400 | 76,800 | 1.8
Washington ...................| 3,595,600 | 3,645,700 | 50,100 | 1.4
West Virginia ................| 708,200 | 719,600 | 11,400 | 1.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
United States Department of Labor
