2013 Regional and State Unemployment — 2014-02-28

In 2013, annual average unemployment rates declined in 43 states and the District of Columbia, rose in 2 states, and were unchanged in 5 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios decreased in 28 states, increased in 17 states and the District of Columbia, and were unchanged in 5 states. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.7 percentage point from the prior year to 7.4 percent, and the national employment-population ratio was unchanged at 58.6 percent. All four regions experienced statistically significant unemployment rate decreases from 2012, with the West having the largest decline (-1.2 percentage points). The West, at 8.0 percent, had the only jobless rate significantly higher than that of the U.S. in 2013, while the South, at 7.0 percent, had the only rate significantly below the national figure. (See table 1.) Six of the 9 geographic divisions had statistically significant over-the- year unemployment rate changes in 2013, all of which were decreases.