June 1997 — 1997-07-30

Most state unemployment rates showed little change in June, as 44 states and the District of Columbia recorded shifts of 0.3 percentage point or less from May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national jobless rate increased to 5.0 percent over the month. Nonfarm payroll employment rose in 36 states and the District of Columbia over the month. Nebraska again reported the lowest unemployment rate in the nation, 2.4 percent, followed by North Dakota (2.7 percent), South Dakota (2.8 percent), and New Hampshire (2.9 percent). Twelve additional states had rates below 4.0 percent. Alaska, at 6.9 percent, continued to have the highest jobless rate. The next highest rates were recorded in the District of Columbia (6.7 percent), New Mexico (6.5 percent), and West Virginia (6.4 percent). Overall, 31 states had unemployment rates below the U.S. average, while 17 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates.