State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2018-04-20

Unemployment rates were lower in March in 4 states, higher in 1 state, and stable in 45 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Seventeen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier and 33 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate was unchanged from February at 4.1 percent but was 0.4 percentage point lower than in March 2017. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 2 states in March 2018 and was essentially unchanged in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 24 states added nonfarm payroll jobs and 26 states and the District were essentially unchanged. Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate in March, 2.1 percent. The rates in Kentucky (4.0 percent) and Maine (2.7 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 7.3 percent.