June 1995 — 1995-08-02

Unemployment rates were lower in June 1995 than a month earlier in 24 states, higher in 19 states and the District of Columbia, and unchanged in 7 states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The national unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in June, essentially unchanged from 5.7 percent in May. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states over the month. Illinois showed the largest unemployment rate decline between May and June, 1.4 percentage points, to 4.1 percent. California's jobless rate decreased 0.9 percentage point to 7.6 percent. Wisconsin (down 0.6 point) and Arizona (down 0.5 point) were the only other states to report declines of as much as half a percentage point. Of the states with increases, none was more than 0.6 percentage point. Over the year, 42 states experienced declining unemployment rates. South Carolina recorded the largest drop (1.6 percentage points), followed by Arizona (1.5 points) and Arkansas (1.4 points).