Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2016-05-20

Unemployment rates were significantly lower in April in 5 states, higher in 4 states, and stable in 41 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Nineteen states had notable unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, 2 states had increases, and 29 states and the District had no notable net change. The national jobless rate was unchanged from March at 5.0 percent and was 0.4 percentage point lower than in April 2015. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 11 states in April 2016, decreased in 6 states, and was essentially unchanged in 33 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 37 states added appreciable numbers of nonfarm payroll jobs, 2 states lost jobs, and 11 states and the District were virtually unchanged. In April, no region had an unemployment rate significantly different from the U.S. rate of 5.0 percent.