Change in State Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
From May to June, not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates increased in all but 3 of the 50 states. Unemployment decreased by 0.2% in Maine, 0.1% in South Dakota, and was unchanged in Kansas. In 4 states (Hawaii, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi) the unemployment rate jumped by a full percentage point or more. In 19 states (including 3 of Wyoming’s neighbors) unemployment increased by 0.5% to 0.9%. Interestingly, some of the states with the largest increases in unemployment had quite low unemployment rates in May (Hawaii, Louisiana, Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico, Delaware, and North Dakota). The remaining states (and Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia) saw modest increases in their unemployment rates. Wyoming’s unemployment rate increased from 2.9% in May to 3.0% in June.
The U.S. unemployment rate usually increases from May to June as young people get out of school and start looking for work. Many new entrants to the labor market do not immediately find work and thus are classified among the unemployed. Some of the large increases in unemployment across the states may be related to a seasonal increase in new entrants. However, it appears that some of the increases reflect a slowing economy or a general deterioration in labor market conditions.
Last modified on
by April Szuch.
