2016 Regional and State Unemployment — 2017-02-28

Annual average unemployment rates decreased in 38 states and the District of Columbia, increased in 9 states, and were unchanged in 3 states in 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios increased in 36 states and the District, decreased in 12 states, and were unchanged in 2 states. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.4 percentage point from the prior year to 4.9 percent, and the national employment-population ratio rose by 0.4 point to 59.7 percent. All four regions had statistically significant unemployment rate decreases from 2015: the West (-0.6 percentage point), Northeast (-0.5 point), South (-0.4 point), and Midwest (-0.1 point). The Midwest, at 4.7 percent, had the only jobless rate significantly lower than that of the U.S. in 2016, while the West, at 5.1 percent, had the only rate significantly above the national figure.