Jobless rate down in 37 US states, up in 5 in April 2012; payroll jobs up in 32 states, down in 18
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, five states posted rate increases, and eight states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while only one state experienced an increase and one had no change. The national jobless rate was little changed from March at 8.1 percent but was 0.9 percentage point lower than in April 2011.
Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 11.7 percent in April. Rhode Island and California posted the next highest rates, 11.2 and 10.9 percent, respectively. North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate, 3.0 percent, followed by Nebraska, 3.9 percent, and South Dakota, 4.3 percent.In total, 24 states reported jobless rates significantly lower than the U.S. figureof 8.1 percent, 6 states and the District of Columbia had measurably higher rates,and 20 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
April 2012 preliminary unemployment rates
Release date of Friday, May 18, 2012 seasonally adjusted
Alabama……………. 7.2
Alaska…………….. 6.9
Arizona……………. 8.2
Arkansas…………… 7.2
California…………. 10.9
Colorado…………… 7.9
Connecticut………… 7.7
Delaware…………… 6.8
District of Columbia… 9.5
Florida……………. 8.7
Georgia……………. 8.9
Hawaii…………….. 6.3
Idaho……………… 7.7
Illinois…………… 8.7
Indiana……………. 7.9
Iowa………………. 5.1
Kansas…………….. 6.1
Kentucky…………… 8.3
Louisiana………….. 7.1
Maine……………… 7.2
Maryland…………… 6.7
Massachusetts………. 6.3
Michigan…………… 8.3
Minnesota………….. 5.6
Mississippi………… 8.7
Missouri…………… 7.3
Montana……………. 6.1
Nebraska…………… 3.9
Nevada…………….. 11.7
New Hampshire………. 5.0
New Jersey…………. 9.1
New Mexico…………. 6.9
New York…………… 8.5
North Carolina……… 9.4
North Dakota……….. 3.0
Ohio………………. 7.4
Oklahoma…………… 5.0
Oregon…………….. 8.5
Pennsylvania……….. 7.4
Rhode Island……….. 11.2
South Carolina……… 8.8
South Dakota……….. 4.3
Tennessee………….. 7.8
Texas……………… 6.9
Utah………………. 6.0
Vermont……………. 4.6
Virginia…………… 5.6
Washington…………. 8.1
West Virginia………. 6.7
Wisconsin………….. 6.7
Wyoming……………. 5.3
Puerto Rico………… 14.8
Not Seasonally Adjusted
Seasonal adjustment is a statistical method for removing the seasonal component of a time series used when analyzing non-seasonal trends. Whereas, not-seasonally-adjusted reflects the actual current data. It is normal to report not-seasonally-adjusted data for current unemployment rates. Seasonally adjusted data may be used for the longer term comparison.
Total employment and unemployment vary throughout the year. For example,higher unemployment in January and February isn’t uncommon because of work in agriculture, construction and other seasonal industries slowing down. Also, both employment and unemployment rise every June, when students enter the labor force in search of summer jobs. Seasonally adjusted numbers also take into account seasonal hiring/layoff patterns that go along with winter and summer holidays.
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In April 2012, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 18 states.
The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in Indiana (+17,100), followed by Texas (+13,200) and Georgia (+7,800).
The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Maryland (-6,000), followed by Wisconsin (-5,900) and New Hampshire (-4,800).
Hawaii experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.8 percent), followed by North Dakota (+0.7 percent) and Indiana (+0.6 percent).
New Hampshire experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.8 percent), followed by Alaska (-0.7 percent) and Vermont (-0.5 percent).
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in 7 states.
The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in North Dakota (+7.2 percent). The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Rhode Island (-0.9 percent).
The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for April is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
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Dilemma X 
May 30, 2012
U.S. unemployment rate