State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2017-08-18

Unemployment rates were higher in July in 3 states, lower in 1 state, and stable in 46 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-seven states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier and 23 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate, 4.3 percent, was little changed from June but was 0.6 percentage point lower than in July 2016. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 11 states and the District of Columbia in July 2017, decreased in 1 state, and was essentially unchanged in 38 states. Over the year, 29 states and the District added nonfarm payroll jobs and 21 states were essentially unchanged. North Dakota and Colorado had the lowest unemployment rates in July, 2.2 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. The rates in North Dakota (2.2 percent) and Tennessee (3.4 percent) set new series lows.