Regional And State Employment And Unemployment: August 2005 — 2005-09-16

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in August. Overall, 30 states and the District of Columbia registered over- the-month unemployment rate decreases, 17 states had increases, and 3 states had no change, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Only six of the rate decreases and none of the increases exceeded 0.3 percentage point. Over the year, jobless rates were lower in 34 states and the District of Columbia, higher in 14 states, and unchanged in 2 states. In August, the national unemployment rate, at 4.9 percent, was little changed from July, but down by 0.5 percentage point over the year. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 33 states and the District of Columbia in August and decreased in 17 states. California experienced the largest employment gain (+17,200), followed by Georgia and Missouri (+15,500 each), Arizona (+9,400), Florida (+8,600), and Michigan (+8,300).