2019 Regional and State Unemployment — 2020-03-04

In 2019, annual average unemployment rates decreased in 10 states, increased in 1 state, and were little changed in 39 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios increased in 16 states, decreased in 2 states, and were little changed in 32 states and the District. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.2 percentage point from the prior year to 3.7 percent, and the national employment-population ratio rose by 0.4 point to 60.8 percent. Three of the 4 census regions had unemployment rate decreases from 2018: the Northeast and South (-0.3 percentage point each) and West (-0.2 point). The South had the lowest jobless rate among the regions, 3.5 percent in 2019, while the West had the highest rate, 3.9 percent. No other region had a rate significantly different from that of the United States.