State Employment Trends

April 2012
National Association of REALTORS
Research Division Compilation of Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Data Highlights Unemployment Rate

The US unemployment rate was 8.2 percent in March, down from 8.3 in February and down from 8.9 percent in March 2011. The majority of states saw an improvement in the employment rate. Thirty states saw the unemployment rate improve in March; an additional 12 states and DC saw no increase. From one month ago, Mississippi and Oklahoma had the biggest improvements seeing a 0.6 percent drop in the unemployment rate. Since March one year ago, nearly all states and DC have had an improvement in the unemployment rate. Only New York saw an increase in the unemployment rate. Alabama and Michigan had the largest improvement in this period of at 2.0 percent each. In March, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Vermont had the lowest unemployment ratesall under 5 percent. At the same time, 3 states had double-digit unemployment rates.

More HighlightsPayroll Jobs and Outlook

45 states and the District of Columbia had positive job growth in the last year, and 29 states and DC had positive job growth in March, a time when net growth was about 120,000 jobs for the nation. The average change among states was 0.2 percent. The greatest job growth in March was in Arizona, while the Maine had the largest job decline (both as a share of previous payrolls). Compared to one year ago, North Dakota has seen the greatest increase in payroll jobs while Wisconsin has seen the largest decline (both as a share of previous payrolls). The following slides show state-level detail of unemployment rates and payroll employment.

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Alaska

SA, Thous

332

328

324

320

316
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

03/30/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Arizona

SA, Thous

2700

2625

2550

2475

2400

2325
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

03/30/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Arkansas

SA, Thous

1220

1200

1180

1160

1140
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

03/30/12

All Employees: Total Nonfarm, California

SA, Thous

15250

15000

14750

14500

14250

14000

13750
Source: BLS/CA Employment Development Department

07

08

09

10

11

03/30/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Colorado

SA, Thous

2400

2360

2320

2280

2240

2200
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Connecticut

SA, Thous

1725

1700

1675

1650

1625

1600

1575
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Delaware

SA, Thous

442.5

435.0

427.5

420.0

412.5

405.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, D.C.

SA, Thous

740

730

720

710

700

690

680
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Florida

SA, Thous

8200

8000

7800

7600

7400

7200

7000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Georgia

SA, Thous

4200

4100

4000

3900

3800
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Hawaii

SA, Thous

630

620

610

600

590

580
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Idaho

SA, Thous

660

640

620

600

580
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonfarm, Illinois

SA, Thous

6000

5925

5850

5775

5700

5625

5550
Source: BLS/IL Department of Employment Security

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Indiana

SA, Thous

3000

2950

2900

2850

2800

2750
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Iowa

SA, Thous

1540

1520

1500

1480

1460
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Kansas

SA, Thous

1400

1380

1360

1340

1320

1300
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Kentucky

SA, Thous

1875

1850

1825

1800

1775

1750
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Louisiana

SA, Thous

1960

1940

1920

1900

1880

1860
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Maine

SA, Thous

622.5

615.0

607.5

600.0

592.5

585.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Maryland

SA, Thous

2640

2600

2560

2520

2480

2440
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Massachusetts

SA, Thous

3320

3280

3240

3200

3160
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Michigan

SA, Thous

4300

4200

4100

4000

3900

3800
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Minnesota

SA, Thous

2800

2760

2720

2680

2640

2600
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Mississippi

SA, Thous

1180

1160

1140

1120

1100

1080
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Missouri

SA, Thous

2840

2800

2760

2720

2680

2640

2600
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Montana

SA, Thous

450

445

440

435

430

425

420
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Nebraska

SA, Thous

967.5

960.0

952.5

945.0

937.5

930.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Nevada

SA, Thous

1300

1250

1200

1150

1100
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

Units All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, New Hampshire

SA, Thous.

652.5

645.0

637.5

630.0

622.5

615.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonfarm, New Jersey

SA, Thous

4100

4050

4000

3950

3900

3850

3800
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics/NJ Dept of Labor

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, New Mexico

SA, Thous

860

840

820

800

780
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonfarm, New York

SA, Thous

8850

8775

8700

8625

8550

8475
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics/NY State Dept of Labor

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, North Carolina

SA, Thous

4200

4125

4050

3975

3900

3825
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, North Dakota

SA, Thous

420

400

380

360

340
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Ohio

SA, Thous

5500

5400

5300

5200

5100

5000
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Oklahoma

SA, Thous

1600

1580

1560

1540

1520

1500
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Oregon

SA, Thous

1760

1720

1680

1640

1600

1560
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Pennsylvania

SA, Thous

5850

5800

5750

5700

5650

5600

5550
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Rhode Island

SA, Thous

495.0

487.5

480.0

472.5

465.0

457.5

450.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, South Carolina

SA, Thous

1960

1920

1880

1840

1800

1760
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, South Dakota

SA, Thous

415.0

412.5

410.0

407.5

405.0

402.5

400.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Tennessee

SA, Thous

2850

2800

2750

2700

2650

2600

2550
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonfarm, Texas

SA ,Thous

10800

10700

10600

10500

10400

10300

10200
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics/TX Workforce Commission

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Utah

SA, Thous

1280

1260

1240

1220

1200

1180

1160
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Vermont

SA, Thous

310.0

307.5

305.0

302.5

300.0

297.5

295.0
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Virginia

SA, Thous

3800

3760

3720

3680

3640

3600

3560
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Washington

SA, Thous

3000

2960

2920

2880

2840

2800

2760
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, West Virginia

SA, Thous

765

760

755

750

745

740

735
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Wisconsin

SA, Thous

2900

2850

2800

2750

2700
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Wyoming

SA, Thous

304

300

296

292

288

284

280
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12

All Employees: Total Nonagricultural, Alabama

SA, Thous

2040

2000

1960

1920

1880

1840
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

07

08

09

10

11

04/20/12