Regional And State Employment And Unemployment: April 2004 — 2004-05-21

Unemployment rates declined in all four regions and in more than half the states in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Over the year, unemployment rates declined in all regions and in 47 states. Over the month, the national jobless rate was essentially unchanged at 5.6 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 45 states. The South again reported the lowest unemployment rate among the four regions, 5.0 percent in April. The West continued to report the highest rate, 5.8 percent. The Midwest had the largest over-the-month unemploy- ment rate decrease, 0.3 percentage point. Over the year, the South and West regions registered rate declines of 0.9 percentage point each, while the Midwest and Northeast had decreases of 0.7 and 0.5 point, respectively.