Regional And State Employment And Unemployment: March 2005 — 2005-04-22

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally stable or down slightly in March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Three of the four regions and 35 states record- ed unemployment rate shifts of 0.2 percentage point or less from February. Over the year, jobless rates were down in 36 states and up in 14 states and the District of Columbia. In March, the national unemployment rate de- clined to 5.2 percent and was 0.5 percentage point lower than a year ago. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 40 states over the month, decreased in 9 states and the District of Columbia, and was unchanged in 1 state. Five states had employment gains of 10,000 or more--Florida (+19,400), California (+17,600), Illinois (+16,200), Texas (+10,600), and Missouri (+10,000). Only one state--Michigan--had an employment loss of a similar magnitude in March (-17,000).