State employment and unemployment summary

Unemployment rates were lower in June in 11 states and stable in 39 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-two states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 8 states and the District had increased, and 20 states had little change. The national unemployment rate is 3.6 percent changed a little over the month and was the same as in June 2022.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states, decreased in 2 states, and was essentially unchanged in 43 states and the District of Columbia in June 2023. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 41 states and was essentially unchanged in 9 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

New Hampshire and South Dakota had the lowest jobless rates in June, 1.8 percent each.

The next lowest rates were in Nebraska and Vermont, 1.9 percent each. The rates in Arkansas (2.6 percent), Maryland (2.0 percent), Massachusetts (2.6 percent), Mississippi (3.1 percent), New Hampshire (1.8 percent), Ohio (3.4 percent), Oklahoma (2.7 percent), Pennsylvania (3.8 percent), and South Dakota (1.8 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.4 percent. In total, 22 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.6 percent, 3 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 25 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

In June, 11 states had over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which was in Maryland (-0.4 percentage point). Thirty-nine 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-two states had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which was in Maryland (-1.2 percentage points) and Massachusetts (-1.1 points). Eight states and the District of Columbia had rate increases from June 2022, the largest of which were in California and the District (+0.7 percentage points each). Twenty states 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 

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 5 states, decreased in 2 states, and was essentially unchanged in 43 states and the District of Columbia in June 2023. The largest job gains occurred in New York (+28,100), Alabama (+8,400), and New Mexico (+7,300). The largest percentage increase occurred in Alaska (+0.9 percent), followed by New Mexico and Wyoming (+0.8 percent each). Employment decreased in Unemployment rates were lower in June in 11 states and stable in 39 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

Indiana (-13,900, or -0.4 percent) and Vermont (-4,300, or -1.4 percent).

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 41 states and was essentially unchanged in 9 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job increases occurred in Texas (+542,500), California (+397,400), and  Florida (+319,500). The largest percentage increases occurred in Nevada and Texas (+4.0 percent each) and New Mexico (+3.8 percent).

The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for June is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The State Employment and Unemployment news release for July is scheduled to be released on Friday, August 18, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).