2018 Regional and State Unemployment — 2019-02-28

In 2018, annual average unemployment rates decreased in 25 states, increased in 1 state, and were little changed or unchanged in 24 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios increased in 9 states, decreased in 1 state, and were little changed or unchanged in 40 states and the District. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.5 percentage point from the prior year to 3.9 percent, and the national employment-population ratio rose by 0.3 point to 60.4 percent. All four census regions had unemployment rate decreases from 2017: the Northeast and South (-0.5 percentage point each), Midwest (-0.4 point), and West (-0.3 point). The Midwest had the lowest jobless rate, 3.7 percent in 2018, while the West had the highest rate, 4.2 percent. No other region had a rate significantly different from that of the United States.