July 1996 — 1996-08-27

Most state unemployment rates showed little change in July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment rate was about unchanged at 5.4 percent. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 25 states in July. Unemployment rates were lower in July than a month earlier in 18 states, higher in 23 states and the District of Columbia, and unchanged in 9 states. West Virginia reported the largest jobless rate decrease, dropping 0.6 percentage point to 6.7 percent, its lowest rate since July 1979. No other state had a change in either direction that was as large as one-half percentage point. The District of Columbias rate rose 0.9 point over the month to 9.0 percent, erasing last months improvement. Compared with a year earlier, jobless rates in July were lower in 35 states and the District of Columbia, higher in 12 states, and unchanged in 3 states.