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October Unemployment Numbers: Lower in Four States, Higher in Two
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment rates were lower in 4 states, higher in 2 states, and stable in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Eight states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 3 states had increases, and 39 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate, 3.6 percent, was little changed over the month and from October 2018.
State unemployment rates for November 2019 will be released in December 2019.
2019 State Monthly Unemployment Rates
| State |
Jan. |
Feb. |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
Aug. |
Sept. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
| Alabama |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.5 |
3.3 |
3.1 |
3.5 |
2.8 |
|
|
| Alaska |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.4 |
6.4 |
6.3 |
6.2 |
6.2 |
6.2 |
|
|
| Arizona |
4.9 |
5.1 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
4.8 |
|
|
| Arkansas |
3.7 |
3.7 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.5 |
|
|
| California |
4.2 |
4.2 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
4.1 |
4.1 |
4.0 |
3.9 |
|
|
| Colorado |
3.7 |
3.7 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
2.7 |
2.6 |
|
|
| Connecticut |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.9 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
|
|
| Delaware |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.7 |
|
|
| D.C. |
5.4 |
5.5 |
5.6 |
5.6 |
5.7 |
5.6 |
5.6 |
5.5 |
5.4 |
5.4 |
|
|
| Florida |
3.4 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
|
|
| Georgia |
3.8 |
3.9 |
3.9 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.4 |
|
|
| Hawaii |
2.7 |
2.7 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.7 |
2.7 |
2.7 |
|
|
| Idaho |
2.8 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
|
|
| Illinois |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.4 |
4.4 |
4.4 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
3.9 |
|
|
| Indiana |
3.5 |
3.5 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
|
|
| Iowa |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.6 |
|
|
| Kansas |
3.4 |
3.4 |
2.5 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.1 |
|
|
| Kentucky |
4.2 |
4.1 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
4.3 |
4.4 |
4.4 |
4.3 |
|
|
| Louisiana |
4.9 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
4.5 |
4.4 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.5 |
|
|
| Maine |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
|
|
| Maryland |
3.7 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.6 |
|
|
| Massachusetts |
3.1 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
|
|
| Michigan |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
4.1 |
|
|
| Minnesota |
3.0 |
3.1 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
|
|
| Mississippi |
4.7 |
4.8 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.1 |
5.2 |
5.4 |
5.5 |
|
|
| Missouri |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.1 |
|
|
| Montana |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.4 |
|
|
| Nebraska |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
|
|
| Nevada |
4.4 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
4.1 |
4.1 |
4.1 |
|
|
| New Hampshire |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.6 |
|
|
| New Jersey |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
3.9 |
3.8 |
3.5 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
|
|
| New Mexico |
5.1 |
5.1 |
5.1 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
4.9 |
4.8 |
|
|
| New York |
3.9 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
|
|
| North Carolina |
3.8 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
4.1 |
4.0 |
|
|
| North Dakota |
2.5 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
2.4 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
|
|
| Ohio |
4.7 |
4.6 |
4.4 |
4.3 |
4.1 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
|
|
| Oklahoma |
3.2 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
|
|
| Oregon |
4.3 |
4.4 |
4.4 |
3.8 |
4.2 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
4.1 |
|
|
| Pennsylvania |
4.1 |
4.0 |
3.9 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.9 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
4.2 |
|
|
| Rhode Island |
4.0 |
3.9 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
|
|
| South Carolina |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.4 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.2 |
2.9 |
2.6 |
|
|
| South Dakota |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
|
| Tennessee |
3.3 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
3.4 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
|
|
| Texas |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.4 |
|
| Utah |
3.1 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.7 |
2.5 |
|
|
| Vermont |
2.5 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
2.2 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
|
|
| Virginia |
2.8 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
2.7 |
2.6 |
|
|
| Washington |
4.5 |
4.5 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
4.6 |
4.6 |
4.6 |
4.6 |
4.5 |
|
|
| West Virginia |
5.2 |
5.2 |
5.1 |
4.9 |
4.8 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
4.6 |
4.7 |
4.8 |
|
|
| Wisconsin |
3.0 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
3.3 |
|
|
| Wyoming |
4.0 |
3.9 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
3.6 |
3.7 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
|
|
| Puerto Rico |
8.4 |
8.5 |
8.8 |
8.7 |
8.5 |
8.4 |
8.1 |
7.7 |
7.7 |
7.7 |
|
|
Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
* Preliminary figures from BLS.
Note that NCSL cannot provide advice or assistance to private citizens or businesses regarding employment-related matters. Please consult your state department of labor or a private attorney.
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