Regional And State Employment And Unemployment: May 2007 — 2007-06-19

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in May. Overall, 26 states recorded over-the-month unemployment rate increases, 15 states and the District of Columbia registered decreases, and 9 states had no changes, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Over the year, jobless rates were down in 28 states and the District of Columbia, up in 18 states, and unchanged in 4 states. The nation- al unemployment rate was unchanged in May at 4.5 percent. In May, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 38 states and decreased in 12 states and the District of Columbia. The largest employment increases were recorded in Texas (+22,700), Illinois (+12,200), California (+10,800), New York (+10,700), and Washington (+9,100). Hawaii posted the largest over-the- month percentage increase in employment (+1.1 percent), followed by South Da- kota (+0.8 percent), Utah (+0.5 percent), and North Dakota (+0.4 percent).