Regional and State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release — 2016-08-19

Unemployment rates were significantly higher in July in 7 states, lower in 3 states, and stable in 40 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Ten states and the District had notable unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, 3 states had increases, and 37 states had no significant change. The national jobless rate was unchanged from 4.9 percent in June but was 0.4 percentage point lower than in July 2015. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 15 states in July 2016, decreased in Kansas, and was essentially unchanged in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 34 states added nonfarm payroll jobs, North Dakota and Wyoming lost jobs, and 14 states and the District were essentially unchanged. In July, two regions had unemployment rates significantly different than the U.S. rate of 4.9 percent: the Midwest, at 4.5 percent, and West, at 5.3 percent.