July 1995 — 1995-08-30

Unemployment rates were higher in July 1995 than a month earlier in 29 states and the District of Columbia, lower in 16 states, and unchanged in 5 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in July, essentially unchanged from June's 5.6 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 27 states over the month. Illinois had the largest unemployment rate increase from June to July, 1.0 percentage point, nearly offsetting the prior month's decline. Rates in West Virginia and Arkansas both increased by 0.6 percentage point. Michigan had the largest unemployment rate decrease, 1.1 percentage points, followed by Pennsylvania, 0.8 percentage point; both of these declines more than offset increases in the prior month. Oregon's rate dropped 0.6 percentage point, returning to the 4.6 percent recorded in March and April that was the lowest unemployment rate for Oregon since the beginning of the series in 1978.