Twenty-eight states, District of Columbia report higher unemployment rates in July versus June, with eight states reporting decreases; year-over-year, 36 states, District of Columbia had lower rates, nine states report increases: Dept. of Labor

Cindy Allen

WASHINGTON , August 19, 2013 (press release) – Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in July. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases, 8 states had decreases, and 14 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, nine states had increases, and five states had no change. The national jobless rate edged down to 7.4 percent from June and was 0.8 percentage point lower than in July 2012.

In July 2013, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states, decreased in 17 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in South Dakota. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+38,100), Georgia (+30,900), and Florida (+27,600). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in New Jersey (-11,800), followed by Nevada (-10,200) and Maryland (-9,200). The largest over-the-month percentage increases in employment occurred in Georgia, Utah, and West Virginia (+0.8 percent each). The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in Nevada (-0.9 percent), followed by New Hampshire (-0.5 percent) and Maryland (-0.4 percent). Over the year, nonfarm employment increased in 49 states and the District of Columbia and decreased in Alaska. The largest over-the-year percentage increase occurred in Utah (+3.2 percent), followed by Arizona (+3.1 percent) and Georgia (+2.8 percent). The only over-the-year percentage decrease in employment occurred in Alaska (-0.5 percent).

REGIONAL AND STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- JULY 2013

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