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August 20 State Employment and Unemployment Summary
August 20 State Employment and Unemployment Summary — Unemployment rates were lower in July in 17 states and the District of Columbia and stable in 33 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
All 50 states and the District had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier. The national unemployment rate, 5.4 percent, declined by 0.5 percentage point over the month and was 4.8 points lower than in July 2020. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 38 states and the District of Columbia and was essentially unchanged in 12 states in July 2021. Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in all 50 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.
August 20 State Employment and Unemployment Summary
Nevada had the highest unemployment rate in July, 7.7 percent, closely followed by California, New Mexico, and New York, 7.6 percent each. Nebraska and Utah had the lowest jobless rates, 2.3 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively. In total, 23 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 5.4 percent, 13 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 14 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)
In July, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Oregon had the largest over-the-month unemployment rate decreases (-0.4 percentage point each). Thirty-three states 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.) The largest unemployment rate decrease from July 2020 occurred in Nevada (-8.9 percentage points). The next largest over-the-year jobless rate decrease was in Rhode Island (-8.2 percentage points), with another eight states experiencing declines of 5.0 points or more. The smallest over-the-year jobless rate decreases occurred in Kentucky (-1.2 percentage points) and Colorado (-1.3 points). (See table C.)
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 38 states and the District of Columbia and was essentially unchanged in 12 states in July 2021. The largest job gains occurred in California (+114,400), Texas (+80,900), and North Carolina (+75,600). The largest percentage increases occurred in Vermont (+2.3 percent), Hawaii (+1.8 percent), and North Carolina (+1.7 percent). (See tables D and 3.)
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The largest job increases occurred in California (+864,400), Texas (+714,800), and New York (+583,500). The largest percentage increases occurred in Hawaii (+10.0 percent), Vermont (+8.9 percent), and Nevada (+8.2 percent). (See table E.)
_________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on July 2021 |
| Establishment and Household Survey Data |
| |
| Data collection for both surveys was affected by the pandemic. In the |
| establishment survey, more data continued to be collected by web than |
| in months prior to the pandemic. In the household survey, for the |
| safety of both interviewers and respondents, in-person interviews were |
| conducted only when telephone interviews could not be done. |
| |
| For information on the modifications made to the Current Employment |
| Statistics (CES) estimation and methodological procedures due to the |
| impact of COVID-19, see www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cesbd.htm. |
| |
| For the July 2021 estimates of household employment and unemployment |
| from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, BLS |
| continued to implement level-shift outliers in the employment and/or |
| unemployment inputs to the models, based on statistical evaluation of |
| movements in each area's inputs. These level shifts preserved |
| movements in the published estimates that the models otherwise would |
| have discounted, without requiring changes to how the models create |
| estimates at other points in the time series. |
| |
| The "Frequently asked questions" document at |
| www.bls.gov/covid19/employment-situation-covid19-faq-july-2021.htm |
| extensively discusses the impact of a misclassification in the |
| household survey on the national estimates for July 2021. Despite |
| the considerable decline in its degree relative to prior months, |
| this misclassification continued to be widespread geographically, |
| with BLS analysis indicating that most states again were affected |
| to at least some extent, which in turn affected the official LAUS |
| estimates for July 2021. |
| |
| Household data for Puerto Rico are not modeled, but rather are |
| derived from a monthly household survey similar to the Current |
| Population Survey. The Puerto Rico Department of Labor has reported |
| a misclassification in its household survey similar in nature to |
| the misclassification in the Current Population Survey. |
|_________________________________________________________________________|
Table A. States with unemployment rates significantly different
from that of the U.S., July 2021, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate(p)
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States (1) ...................| 5.4
|
Alabama .............................| 3.2
Alaska ..............................| 6.6
Arizona .............................| 6.6
Arkansas ............................| 4.3
California ..........................| 7.6
Connecticut .........................| 7.3
District of Columbia ................| 6.7
Georgia .............................| 3.7
Hawaii ..............................| 7.3
Idaho ...............................| 3.0
|
Illinois ............................| 7.1
Indiana .............................| 4.1
Iowa ................................| 4.1
Kansas ..............................| 3.8
Kentucky ............................| 4.4
Louisiana ...........................| 6.6
Minnesota ...........................| 3.9
Missouri ............................| 4.2
Montana .............................| 3.6
Nebraska ............................| 2.3
|
Nevada ..............................| 7.7
New Hampshire .......................| 2.9
New Jersey ..........................| 7.3
New Mexico ..........................| 7.6
New York ............................| 7.6
North Carolina ......................| 4.4
North Dakota ........................| 3.9
Oklahoma ............................| 3.5
Pennsylvania ........................| 6.6
South Carolina ......................| 4.3
|
South Dakota ........................| 2.9
Tennessee ...........................| 4.7
Texas ...............................| 6.2
Utah ................................| 2.6
Vermont .............................| 3.0
Virginia ............................| 4.2
Wisconsin ...........................| 3.9
--------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Data are not preliminary.
(p) = preliminary.
Table B. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from June 2021 to July 2021, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-month
State | June | July | change(p)
| 2021 | 2021(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Connecticut ....................| 7.7 | 7.3 | -0.4
Delaware .......................| 5.8 | 5.6 | -.2
District of Columbia ...........| 7.0 | 6.7 | -.3
Georgia ........................| 4.0 | 3.7 | -.3
Hawaii .........................| 7.7 | 7.3 | -.4
Louisiana ......................| 6.9 | 6.6 | -.3
Maryland .......................| 6.2 | 6.0 | -.2
Nebraska .......................| 2.5 | 2.3 | -.2
New Mexico .....................| 7.9 | 7.6 | -.3
North Carolina .................| 4.6 | 4.4 | -.2
| | |
Oklahoma .......................| 3.7 | 3.5 | -.2
Oregon .........................| 5.6 | 5.2 | -.4
Pennsylvania ...................| 6.9 | 6.6 | -.3
Tennessee ......................| 4.9 | 4.7 | -.2
Texas ..........................| 6.5 | 6.2 | -.3
Virginia .......................| 4.3 | 4.2 | -.1
West Virginia ..................| 5.3 | 5.0 | -.3
Wyoming ........................| 5.4 | 5.2 | -.2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table C. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes
from July 2020 to July 2021, seasonally adjusted
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-----------|-----------| Over-the-year
State | July | July | change(p)
| 2020 | 2021(p) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ........................| 7.4 | 3.2 | -4.2
Alaska .........................| 11.0 | 6.6 | -4.4
Arizona ........................| 10.4 | 6.6 | -3.8
Arkansas .......................| 7.1 | 4.3 | -2.8
California .....................| 13.2 | 7.6 | -5.6
Colorado .......................| 7.4 | 6.1 | -1.3
Connecticut ....................| 11.3 | 7.3 | -4.0
Delaware .......................| 8.3 | 5.6 | -2.7
District of Columbia ...........| 8.9 | 6.7 | -2.2
Florida ........................| 11.5 | 5.1 | -6.4
| | |
Georgia ........................| 7.6 | 3.7 | -3.9
Hawaii .........................| 14.1 | 7.3 | -6.8
Idaho ..........................| 5.9 | 3.0 | -2.9
Illinois .......................| 12.0 | 7.1 | -4.9
Indiana ........................| 8.6 | 4.1 | -4.5
Iowa ...........................| 6.1 | 4.1 | -2.0
Kansas .........................| 6.6 | 3.8 | -2.8
Kentucky .......................| 5.6 | 4.4 | -1.2
Louisiana ......................| 9.1 | 6.6 | -2.5
Maine ..........................| 8.8 | 4.9 | -3.9
| | |
Maryland .......................| 8.7 | 6.0 | -2.7
Massachusetts ..................| 9.8 | 4.9 | -4.9
Michigan .......................| 9.0 | 4.8 | -4.2
Minnesota ......................| 7.6 | 3.9 | -3.7
Mississippi ....................| 8.5 | 6.1 | -2.4
Missouri .......................| 6.8 | 4.2 | -2.6
Montana ........................| 6.6 | 3.6 | -3.0
Nebraska .......................| 4.4 | 2.3 | -2.1
Nevada .........................| 16.6 | 7.7 | -8.9
New Hampshire ..................| 8.1 | 2.9 | -5.2
| | |
New Jersey .....................| 13.1 | 7.3 | -5.8
New Mexico .....................| 12.5 | 7.6 | -4.9
New York .......................| 14.7 | 7.6 | -7.1
North Carolina .................| 8.8 | 4.4 | -4.4
North Dakota ...................| 6.2 | 3.9 | -2.3
Ohio ...........................| 9.3 | 5.4 | -3.9
Oklahoma .......................| 7.2 | 3.5 | -3.7
Oregon .........................| 9.6 | 5.2 | -4.4
Pennsylvania ...................| 13.0 | 6.6 | -6.4
Rhode Island ...................| 14.0 | 5.8 | -8.2
| | |
South Carolina .................| 7.6 | 4.3 | -3.3
South Dakota ...................| 5.4 | 2.9 | -2.5
Tennessee ......................| 8.9 | 4.7 | -4.2
Texas ..........................| 9.3 | 6.2 | -3.1
Utah ...........................| 5.4 | 2.6 | -2.8
Vermont ........................| 6.4 | 3.0 | -3.4
Virginia .......................| 7.9 | 4.2 | -3.7
Washington .....................| 10.8 | 5.1 | -5.7
West Virginia ..................| 9.4 | 5.0 | -4.4
Wisconsin ......................| 7.2 | 3.9 | -3.3
Wyoming ........................| 6.8 | 5.2 | -1.6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table D. States with statistically significant employment changes from
June 2021 to July 2021, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-month change(p)
State | June | July |---------------------------
| 2021 | 2021(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska .......................| 300,800 | 304,600 | 3,800 | 1.3
Arizona ......................| 2,951,100 | 2,972,200 | 21,100 | .7
California ...................| 16,414,600 | 16,529,000 | 114,400 | .7
Colorado .....................| 2,718,800 | 2,733,600 | 14,800 | .5
Connecticut ..................| 1,590,900 | 1,600,300 | 9,400 | .6
Delaware .....................| 447,300 | 451,200 | 3,900 | .9
District of Columbia..........| 745,400 | 750,400 | 5,000 | .7
Florida ......................| 8,688,200 | 8,756,300 | 68,100 | .8
Georgia ......................| 4,528,500 | 4,572,100 | 43,600 | 1.0
Hawaii .......................| 572,600 | 582,800 | 10,200 | 1.8
| | | |
Illinois .....................| 5,758,700 | 5,794,100 | 35,400 | .6
Indiana ......................| 3,048,100 | 3,058,700 | 10,600 | .3
Iowa .........................| 1,525,400 | 1,532,800 | 7,400 | .5
Kansas .......................| 1,376,200 | 1,382,200 | 6,000 | .4
Louisiana ....................| 1,836,500 | 1,849,200 | 12,700 | .7
Maryland .....................| 2,638,500 | 2,660,700 | 22,200 | .8
Massachusetts ................| 3,459,300 | 3,502,700 | 43,400 | 1.3
Michigan .....................| 4,134,600 | 4,165,900 | 31,300 | .8
Minnesota ....................| 2,831,300 | 2,845,800 | 14,500 | .5
Mississippi ..................| 1,131,100 | 1,136,800 | 5,700 | .5
| | | |
Missouri .....................| 2,820,700 | 2,835,700 | 15,000 | .5
Montana ......................| 481,100 | 484,400 | 3,300 | .7
New Hampshire ................| 653,900 | 658,900 | 5,000 | .8
New Jersey ...................| 3,939,500 | 3,954,100 | 14,600 | .4
New Mexico ...................| 800,000 | 808,900 | 8,900 | 1.1
New York .....................| 8,891,800 | 8,945,300 | 53,500 | .6
North Carolina ...............| 4,505,200 | 4,580,800 | 75,600 | 1.7
Ohio .........................| 5,321,700 | 5,340,900 | 19,200 | .4
Oregon .......................| 1,854,100 | 1,874,100 | 20,000 | 1.1
Pennsylvania .................| 5,703,000 | 5,731,800 | 28,800 | .5
| | | |
Rhode Island .................| 471,500 | 478,700 | 7,200 | 1.5
South Carolina ...............| 2,119,300 | 2,139,400 | 20,100 | .9
South Dakota .................| 435,900 | 438,500 | 2,600 | .6
Texas ........................| 12,627,400 | 12,708,300 | 80,900 | .6
Utah .........................| 1,598,000 | 1,614,000 | 16,000 | 1.0
Vermont ......................| 295,200 | 301,900 | 6,700 | 2.3
Washington ...................| 3,376,400 | 3,399,100 | 22,700 | .7
West Virginia ................| 687,700 | 691,300 | 3,600 | .5
Wisconsin ....................| 2,870,700 | 2,883,800 | 13,100 | .5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
Table E. States with statistically significant employment changes from
July 2020 to July 2021, seasonally adjusted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | Over-the-year change(p)
State | July | July |---------------------------
| 2020 | 2021(p) | Level | Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama ......................| 1,956,600 | 2,030,000 | 73,400 | 3.8
Alaska .......................| 286,700 | 304,600 | 17,900 | 6.2
Arizona ......................| 2,807,700 | 2,972,200 | 164,500 | 5.9
Arkansas .....................| 1,228,300 | 1,270,500 | 42,200 | 3.4
California ...................| 15,664,600 | 16,529,000 | 864,400 | 5.5
Colorado .....................| 2,593,100 | 2,733,600 | 140,500 | 5.4
Connecticut ..................| 1,525,000 | 1,600,300 | 75,300 | 4.9
Delaware .....................| 433,100 | 451,200 | 18,100 | 4.2
District of Columbia..........| 725,600 | 750,400 | 24,800 | 3.4
Florida ......................| 8,399,600 | 8,756,300 | 356,700 | 4.2
| | | |
Georgia ......................| 4,322,600 | 4,572,100 | 249,500 | 5.8
Hawaii .......................| 529,800 | 582,800 | 53,000 | 10.0
Idaho ........................| 752,300 | 790,800 | 38,500 | 5.1
Illinois .....................| 5,563,000 | 5,794,100 | 231,100 | 4.2
Indiana ......................| 2,970,100 | 3,058,700 | 88,600 | 3.0
Iowa .........................| 1,486,700 | 1,532,800 | 46,100 | 3.1
Kansas .......................| 1,345,900 | 1,382,200 | 36,300 | 2.7
Kentucky .....................| 1,810,300 | 1,858,400 | 48,100 | 2.7
Louisiana ....................| 1,791,000 | 1,849,200 | 58,200 | 3.2
Maine ........................| 576,700 | 617,500 | 40,800 | 7.1
| | | |
Maryland .....................| 2,527,100 | 2,660,700 | 133,600 | 5.3
Massachusetts ................| 3,248,500 | 3,502,700 | 254,200 | 7.8
Michigan .....................| 3,984,400 | 4,165,900 | 181,500 | 4.6
Minnesota ....................| 2,718,100 | 2,845,800 | 127,700 | 4.7
Mississippi ..................| 1,095,700 | 1,136,800 | 41,100 | 3.8
Missouri .....................| 2,751,800 | 2,835,700 | 83,900 | 3.0
Montana ......................| 464,800 | 484,400 | 19,600 | 4.2
Nebraska .....................| 977,300 | 1,012,300 | 35,000 | 3.6
Nevada .......................| 1,235,000 | 1,335,900 | 100,900 | 8.2
New Hampshire ................| 624,300 | 658,900 | 34,600 | 5.5
| | | |
New Jersey ...................| 3,704,400 | 3,954,100 | 249,700 | 6.7
New Mexico ...................| 779,200 | 808,900 | 29,700 | 3.8
New York .....................| 8,361,800 | 8,945,300 | 583,500 | 7.0
North Carolina ...............| 4,310,600 | 4,580,800 | 270,200 | 6.3
North Dakota .................| 402,700 | 417,500 | 14,800 | 3.7
Ohio .........................| 5,193,200 | 5,340,900 | 147,700 | 2.8
Oklahoma .....................| 1,603,000 | 1,628,800 | 25,800 | 1.6
Oregon .......................| 1,795,100 | 1,874,100 | 79,000 | 4.4
Pennsylvania .................| 5,509,600 | 5,731,800 | 222,200 | 4.0
Rhode Island .................| 446,800 | 478,700 | 31,900 | 7.1
| | | |
South Carolina ...............| 2,041,400 | 2,139,400 | 98,000 | 4.8
South Dakota .................| 419,100 | 438,500 | 19,400 | 4.6
Tennessee ....................| 2,946,200 | 3,088,800 | 142,600 | 4.8
Texas ........................| 11,993,500 | 12,708,300 | 714,800 | 6.0
Utah .........................| 1,522,500 | 1,614,000 | 91,500 | 6.0
Vermont ......................| 277,200 | 301,900 | 24,700 | 8.9
Virginia .....................| 3,758,700 | 3,902,500 | 143,800 | 3.8
Washington ...................| 3,212,100 | 3,399,100 | 187,000 | 5.8
West Virginia ................| 664,200 | 691,300 | 27,100 | 4.1
Wisconsin ....................| 2,779,300 | 2,883,800 | 104,500 | 3.8
Wyoming ......................| 265,600 | 273,900 | 8,300 | 3.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(p) = preliminary.
- State Employment and Unemployment Technical Note
- Table 1. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, seasonally adjusted
- Table 2. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and selected area, not seasonally adjusted
- Table 3. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, seasonally adjusted
- Table 4. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by state and selected industry sector, not seasonally adjusted
- HTML version of the entire news release
The PDF version of the news release
News release charts
Supplemental Files Table of Contents
Table of Contents
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