June 1994 — 1994-08-02

Unemployment rates were lower in June 1994 than in the prior month in 25 states, higher in 17 states and the District of Columbia, and unchanged in 8 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment rate was 6.0 percent in June, the same as in May. Employment on nonfarm payrolls was higher than May levels in 38 states. Two states--Illinois and Ohio--had declines of 1.0 percentage point in their unemployment rates from May to June. No state showed an unemployment rate decline of more than 1.0 percentage point; Florida, Mississippi, and Montana had drops between 0.5 and 1.0 percentage point. West Virginia had the largest unemployment rate increase--0.6 percentage point. It also was the only state with an unemployment rate (9.6 percent) above 8.5 percent, while 19 states had rates of 4.9 percent or below. Nebraska and South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rates, both 3.1 percent.