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For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, April 19, 2024 USDL-24-0701 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 -- MARCH 2024 Unemployment rates were lower in March in 6 states, higher in 1 state, and stable in 43 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-nine states had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 1 state had a decrease, and 20 states and the District had little change. The national unemployment rate changed little at 3.8 percent but was 0.3 percentage point higher than in March 2023. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states and was essentially unchanged in 45 states and the District of Columbia in March 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 had the lowest jobless rate in March, 2.0 percent, closely followed by South Dakota, 2.1 percent, and Vermont, 2.2 percent. The rate in Mississippi, 3.0 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. In total, 23 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.8 percent, 5 states and the District had higher rates, and 22 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.) In March, six states had over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which was in Arizona (-0.3 percentage point). Florida had the only rate increase (+0.1 percentage point). 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.) Twenty-nine states had unemployment rate increases from March 2023, the largest of which was in Rhode Island (+1.3 percentage points). Massachusetts had the only over-the-year rate decrease (-0.6 percentage point). Twenty states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a year earlier. (See table C.) Nonfarm Payroll Employment Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states and was essentially unchanged in 45 states and the District of Columbia in March 2024. Job gains occurred in Virginia (+16,500, or +0.4 percent), Georgia (+16,200, or +0.3 percent), Kentucky (+9,400, or +0.5 percent), Arkansas (+6,500, or +0.5 percent), and Kansas (+6,400, or +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 (+270,700), California (+217,700), and Florida (+211,100). The largest percentage increases occurred in Idaho (+3.7 percent), Nevada (+3.4 percent), and Alaska (+3.2 percent). (See table E.) _____________ The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for March is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled to be released on Friday, May 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different from that of the U.S., March 2024, seasonally adjusted -------------------------------------------------------------- State | Rate(p) -------------------------------------------------------------- United States (1) ...................| 3.8 | Alabama .............................| 3.0 California ..........................| 5.3 District of Columbia ................| 5.2 Florida .............................| 3.2 Georgia .............................| 3.1 Hawaii ..............................| 3.1 Illinois ............................| 4.8 Iowa ................................| 2.9 Kansas ..............................| 2.7 Maryland ............................| 2.5 | Massachusetts .......................| 2.9 Minnesota ...........................| 2.7 Mississippi .........................| 3.0 Montana .............................| 3.3 Nebraska ............................| 2.5 Nevada ..............................| 5.1 New Hampshire .......................| 2.6 New Jersey ..........................| 4.8 North Dakota ........................| 2.0 Pennsylvania ........................| 3.4 | South Carolina ......................| 3.1 South Dakota ........................| 2.1 Tennessee ...........................| 3.2 Utah ................................| 2.8 Vermont .............................| 2.2 Virginia ............................| 2.9 Washington ..........................| 4.8 Wisconsin ...........................| 3.0 Wyoming .............................| 2.8 -------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Data are not preliminary. (p) = preliminary. Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes from February 2024 to March 2024, seasonally adjusted ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Rate | |-----------|-----------| Over-the-month State | February | March | change(p) | 2024 | 2024(p) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arizona ........................| 4.1 | 3.8 | -0.3 Florida ........................| 3.1 | 3.2 | .1 Maine ..........................| 3.4 | 3.3 | -.1 Montana ........................| 3.4 | 3.3 | -.1 New York .......................| 4.4 | 4.3 | -.1 Vermont ........................| 2.3 | 2.2 | -.1 Virginia .......................| 3.0 | 2.9 | -.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (p) = preliminary. Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes from March 2023 to March 2024, seasonally adjusted ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Rate | |-----------|-----------| Over-the-year State | March | March | change(p) | 2023 | 2024(p) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama ........................| 2.3 | 3.0 | 0.7 Alaska .........................| 3.8 | 4.6 | .8 Arkansas .......................| 2.8 | 3.5 | .7 California .....................| 4.5 | 5.3 | .8 Colorado .......................| 3.0 | 3.7 | .7 Connecticut ....................| 3.4 | 4.5 | 1.1 Florida ........................| 2.8 | 3.2 | .4 Idaho ..........................| 2.9 | 3.3 | .4 Illinois .......................| 4.2 | 4.8 | .6 Indiana ........................| 3.2 | 3.5 | .3 | | | Kentucky .......................| 4.0 | 4.5 | .5 Louisiana ......................| 3.5 | 4.4 | .9 Maine ..........................| 2.4 | 3.3 | .9 Maryland .......................| 2.0 | 2.5 | .5 Massachusetts ..................| 3.5 | 2.9 | -.6 Missouri .......................| 2.8 | 3.3 | .5 Montana ........................| 2.5 | 3.3 | .8 Nebraska .......................| 2.0 | 2.5 | .5 New Hampshire ..................| 1.8 | 2.6 | .8 New Jersey .....................| 4.0 | 4.8 | .8 | | | New York .......................| 4.0 | 4.3 | .3 Ohio ...........................| 3.5 | 3.8 | .3 Oklahoma .......................| 3.0 | 3.5 | .5 Oregon .........................| 3.5 | 4.2 | .7 Rhode Island ...................| 2.7 | 4.0 | 1.3 Utah ...........................| 2.5 | 2.8 | .3 Vermont ........................| 1.8 | 2.2 | .4 Washington .....................| 3.9 | 4.8 | .9 West Virginia ..................| 3.5 | 4.3 | .8 Wisconsin ......................| 2.6 | 3.0 | .4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (p) = preliminary. Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from February 2024 to March 2024, seasonally adjusted -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Over-the-month change(p) State | February | March |--------------------------- | 2024 | 2024(p) | Level | Percent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arkansas .....................| 1,360,700 | 1,367,200 | 6,500 | 0.5 Georgia ......................| 4,933,300 | 4,949,500 | 16,200 | .3 Kansas .......................| 1,455,100 | 1,461,500 | 6,400 | .4 Kentucky .....................| 2,027,500 | 2,036,900 | 9,400 | .5 Virginia .....................| 4,211,800 | 4,228,300 | 16,500 | .4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (p) = preliminary. Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from March 2023 to March 2024, seasonally adjusted -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Over-the-year change(p) State | March | March |--------------------------- | 2023 | 2024(p) | Level | Percent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alabama ......................| 2,155,100 | 2,191,100 | 36,000 | 1.7 Alaska .......................| 325,200 | 335,500 | 10,300 | 3.2 Arizona ......................| 3,179,800 | 3,250,100 | 70,300 | 2.2 Arkansas .....................| 1,348,700 | 1,367,200 | 18,500 | 1.4 California ...................| 17,778,500 | 17,996,200 | 217,700 | 1.2 Colorado .....................| 2,922,100 | 2,983,300 | 61,200 | 2.1 Florida ......................| 9,688,000 | 9,899,100 | 211,100 | 2.2 Georgia ......................| 4,894,100 | 4,949,500 | 55,400 | 1.1 Idaho ........................| 835,500 | 866,300 | 30,800 | 3.7 Indiana ......................| 3,232,200 | 3,276,800 | 44,600 | 1.4 | | | | Iowa .........................| 1,586,800 | 1,612,500 | 25,700 | 1.6 Kansas .......................| 1,439,700 | 1,461,500 | 21,800 | 1.5 Kentucky .....................| 2,011,900 | 2,036,900 | 25,000 | 1.2 Minnesota ....................| 2,976,600 | 3,022,100 | 45,500 | 1.5 Missouri .....................| 2,967,800 | 3,022,000 | 54,200 | 1.8 Montana ......................| 517,400 | 528,000 | 10,600 | 2.0 Nebraska .....................| 1,043,400 | 1,062,900 | 19,500 | 1.9 Nevada .......................| 1,524,800 | 1,576,000 | 51,200 | 3.4 New Jersey ...................| 4,302,400 | 4,386,600 | 84,200 | 2.0 New Mexico ...................| 869,500 | 885,200 | 15,700 | 1.8 | | | | New York .....................| 9,680,700 | 9,825,100 | 144,400 | 1.5 North Carolina ...............| 4,920,700 | 4,978,000 | 57,300 | 1.2 Oklahoma .....................| 1,750,800 | 1,779,100 | 28,300 | 1.6 Pennsylvania .................| 6,070,700 | 6,148,900 | 78,200 | 1.3 South Carolina ...............| 2,293,200 | 2,358,400 | 65,200 | 2.8 South Dakota .................| 459,400 | 470,400 | 11,000 | 2.4 Texas ........................| 13,845,000 | 14,115,700 | 270,700 | 2.0 Utah .........................| 1,709,800 | 1,746,400 | 36,600 | 2.1 Virginia .....................| 4,154,400 | 4,228,300 | 73,900 | 1.8 Washington ...................| 3,582,900 | 3,637,400 | 54,500 | 1.5 West Virginia ................| 707,900 | 719,600 | 11,700 | 1.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (p) = preliminary.