Regional And State Employment And Unemployment: June 2005 — 2005-07-22

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in June. Overall, 27 states and the District of Columbia registered over-the- month unemployment rate decreases, 11 states had increases, and 12 states had no change, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Only one of the decreases and none of the increases exceeded 0.4 percentage point. Over the year, jobless rates were lower in 35 states and the District of Columbia, higher in 9 states, and unchanged in 6 states. In June, the national unemployment rate continued to trend down, reaching 5.0 percent--0.6 percentage point lower than a year earlier. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia over the month and decreased in 7 states. The largest employment gains occurred in Florida (+18,500), California (+15,600), New York (+14,500), Virginia (+13,000), and Texas (+12,700).