In continuation with its task of providing monthly reports on the overall Employment footing across at the states in the USA, The Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS), operating under the aegis of the U.S Department of Labor released its publication titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment” on October 20 that presents in depth statistics, data and analysis of performance of states and regions during the month of September 2015.
In our effort to bring to you, the latest news to help you understand the nuances, let us decode this elaborate report and present the facts that really matter to you as a curious and well informed citizen.
As the case has been for over an year now, the good news continues in terms of falling unemployment numbers, month over month. The overall Unemployment Rate was 5.1 percent, the same as August 2015. Overall, 37 states and District of Columbia witnessed rate decreases during September and 7 states carried forward their respectives rates from the last month. Over the year, a massive 41 states and D.C registered decrease in jobless rate, 2 states had no change and seven states saw increases.
Split – State wise(Non farm Payroll Employment & Unemployment)
Top 3 States with biggest job gains(Over the month)
1) Texas (+26,600)
2) New York (+12,000)
3) Georgia (+9,100)
Top 3 States with considerable number of job declines(Over the month)
1) Missouri (-16,500)
2) Pennsylvania (-16,400)
3) Michigan (-9,800)
Top 5 States with highest decline in Employment(Over the month)
1) Hawaiii (-1.3.%)
2) Vermont and Wyoming ( -0.7 % each)
Top States with highest spike in Employment(Over the Month)
1) Delaware & Kansas( 0.4 % each)
2) South Carolina(0.3 %)
When compared to the same month in 2014, a whopping 46 states witnessed spike in employment that includes District of Columbia as well. The rest 4 states were not so up to the mark losing employment during this time. Utah(3.7 percent), South Carolina(3.2 percent) and Idaho & Washington(3.1 percent each) were the best performing states in this category. North Dakota(-1.6 percent), West Virginia(-1.5 percent) and Wyoming(-0.9 percent) were the states that lost the highest number of jobs.
State Unemployment
- A force to reckon with, North Dakota yet again proved to be the best state with lowest unemployment rate amongst all states with just 2.8 percent of the employable populace being unemployed.
- On the flipside, West Virginia recorded the highest rate of unemployment at 7.3 percent.
- Overall, 19 states recorded unemployment rates lower than the national average of 5.1 percent and 19 of them hovered around this average while 12 states including D.C had visibly higher rates.
- Over the year(September 2014), 26 states and the D.C had jobless rates lower than last year and the topper in this category was Rhode Island(-1.8 percent).
- Remainder of the states were not visibly different from what was recorded an year earlier.
Break Up – Region wise(Non farm Payroll)
During the month of September 2015, Midwest continued to lead the pack with the lowest unemployment rate of 4.5 percent and the West tumbled to stay low at 5.6 percent. There was not much change in the jobless rates regionwise, when compared to August 2015.
- Northeast – 5.0%
- South – 5.1%
- Midwest – 4.5%
- West – 5.6%
Split By Geographic Division
- West North Central – 4.0%
- East South Central & Pacific – 5.7%
If you’re someone who has been unemployed recently, use the resources available on this portal to understand the benefits available in your state.