August 1995 — 1995-09-26

Unemployment rates were lower in August 1995 than a month earlier in 24 states and the District of Columbia, higher in 17 states, and unchanged in 9 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in August, essentially unchanged from 5.7 percent in July. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 38 states over the month. Minnesota had the largest jobless rate decrease between July and August--0.9 percentage point. Florida and Louisiana, both down 0.6 point, were the only other states to show unemployment rate declines of more than half a percentage point. Illinois and New York experienced the largest over-the-month increases in their jobless rates--both up 0.9 percentage point. For Illinois, this was the second large increase in a row, following a 1.4 point decline in June. Three other states--Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas--also had increases of more than 0.5 percentage point. Over the year, 36 states experienced unemployment rate declines.