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September Unemployment Numbers: Lower in 30 States Higher in 8 States
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment rates were lower in September in 30 states, higher in 8 states, and stable in 12 states and the District of Columbia. All 50 states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier. The national unemployment rate fell by 0.5 percentage point over the month to 7.9 percent but was 4.4 points higher than in September 2019.
State unemployment rates for August 2020 will be released in September 18th.
2020 State Monthly Unemployment Rates
| State |
Jan. |
Feb. |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
Aug. |
Sept. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
| Alabama |
2.7 |
2.7 |
3.5 |
12.9 |
9.6 |
7.5 |
7.9 |
5.6 |
6.6 |
|
|
|
| Alaska |
6.0 |
5.8
|
5.6 |
12.9 |
12.7 |
12.4 |
11.6 |
7.4 |
7.2 |
|
|
|
| Arizona |
4.5 |
4.5 |
5.5 |
12.6 |
9.0 |
10.0 |
10.6 |
5.9 |
6.7 |
|
|
|
| Arkansas |
3.5 |
3.9 |
4.8 |
10.2 |
9.6 |
8.0 |
7.1 |
7.4 |
7.3 |
|
|
|
| California |
3.9 |
2.5 |
5.3 |
15.5 |
16.4 |
14.9 |
13.3 |
11.4 |
11 |
|
|
|
| Colorado |
2.5 |
2.8 |
4.5 |
11.3 |
10.2 |
10.5 |
7.4 |
6.7 |
6.4 |
|
|
|
| Connecticut |
3.7 |
3.9 |
3.7 |
7.9 |
9.6 |
9.8 |
10.2 |
8.1 |
7.8 |
|
|
|
| Delaware |
4.0 |
5.2 |
5.1 |
14.3 |
15.9 |
12.5 |
10.4 |
8.9 |
8.2 |
|
|
|
| D.C. |
5.2 |
2.8 |
6.0 |
11.1 |
8.8 |
8.6 |
8.4 |
8.5 |
8.7 |
|
|
|
| Florida |
2.8 |
3.1 |
4.3 |
12.9 |
13.7 |
10.4 |
11.3 |
7.4 |
7.6 |
|
|
|
| Georgia |
3.1 |
2.7 |
4.2 |
11.9 |
9.4 |
7.6 |
7.6 |
5.6 |
6.4 |
|
|
|
| Hawaii |
2.7 |
2.7 |
2.6 |
22.3 |
23.5 |
13.9 |
13.1 |
12.5 |
15.1 |
|
|
|
| Idaho |
2.8 |
3.4 |
2.6 |
11.5 |
9.0 |
5.6 |
5.0 |
4.2 |
6.1 |
|
|
|
| Illinois |
3.5 |
3.1 |
4.6 |
16.4 |
15.3 |
14.6 |
11.3 |
11 |
10.2 |
|
|
|
| Indiana |
3.1 |
2.8 |
3.2 |
16.9 |
12.3 |
11.2 |
7.8 |
6.4 |
6.2 |
|
|
|
| Iowa |
2.8 |
3.1 |
3.7 |
10.2 |
10.2 |
8.0 |
6.6 |
6 |
4.7 |
|
|
|
| Kansas |
3.1 |
4.2 |
3.1 |
11.2 |
10.0 |
7.5 |
7.2 |
6.9 |
5.9 |
|
|
|
| Kentucky |
4.3 |
5.2 |
5.8 |
15.4 |
10.9 |
4.3 |
5.7 |
7.6 |
5.6 |
|
|
|
| Louisiana |
5.1 |
3.2 |
6.1 |
14.5 |
14.2 |
9.7 |
9.4 |
7.6 |
8.1 |
|
|
|
| Maine |
3.1 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
10.6 |
9.4 |
6.6 |
9.9 |
6.9 |
6.1 |
|
|
|
| Maryland |
3.3 |
2.8 |
3.3 |
9.9 |
10.0 |
8.0 |
7.6 |
6.0 |
7.2 |
|
|
|
| Massachusetts |
2.8 |
3.6 |
2.9 |
15.1 |
16.6 |
17.4 |
16.1 |
11.3 |
9.6 |
|
|
|
| Michigan |
3.8 |
3.1 |
4.1 |
22.7 |
21.3 |
14.8 |
8.7 |
8.7 |
8.5 |
|
|
|
| Minnesota |
3.2 |
5.4 |
3.1 |
8.1 |
9.9 |
8.6 |
7.7 |
7.4 |
6 |
|
|
|
| Mississippi |
5.5 |
3.5 |
5.3 |
15.4 |
10.5 |
8.7 |
10.8 |
7.9 |
7.1 |
|
|
|
| Missouri |
3.5 |
3.5 |
4.5 |
9.7 |
10.1 |
7.9 |
6.9 |
7 |
4.9 |
|
|
|
| Montana |
3.5 |
2.9 |
3.5 |
11.3 |
9.0 |
7.1 |
6.4 |
5.6 |
5.3 |
|
|
|
| Nebraska |
3.9 |
3.6 |
4.2 |
8.2 |
5.3 |
6.7 |
4.8 |
4 |
3.5 |
|
|
|
| Nevada |
3.6 |
3.6 |
6.3 |
28.3 |
25.3 |
15.0 |
14.0 |
13.2 |
12.6 |
|
|
|
| New Hampshire |
2.6 |
3.8 |
2.6 |
16.3 |
15.4 |
11.8 |
8.1 |
6.5 |
6.0 |
|
|
|
| New Jersey |
3.8 |
4.8 |
3.8 |
15.3 |
15.4 |
16.6 |
13.9 |
10.9 |
6.7 |
|
|
|
| New Mexico |
4.8 |
3.7 |
5.9 |
11.3 |
9.1 |
8.3 |
12.7 |
11.3 |
9.4 |
|
|
|
| New York |
3.8 |
3.6 |
4.5 |
14.5 |
14.5 |
15.7 |
15.9 |
12.5 |
9.7 |
|
|
|
| North Carolina |
3.6 |
2.2 |
4.4 |
12.2 |
12.8 |
7.6 |
8.5 |
6.5 |
7.3 |
|
|
|
| North Dakota |
2.3 |
4.2 |
2.2 |
8.5 |
9.1 |
6.1 |
6.6 |
5 |
4.4 |
|
|
|
| Ohio |
4.1 |
3.2 |
5.5 |
16.8 |
13.9 |
10.9 |
8.9 |
8.9 |
8.4 |
|
|
|
| Oklahoma |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.1 |
13.7 |
12.6 |
6.6 |
7.1 |
5.7 |
5.3 |
|
|
|
| Oregon |
3.3 |
4.7 |
3.3 |
14.2 |
14.3 |
11.2 |
10.4 |
7.7 |
8 |
|
|
|
| Pennsylvania |
4.7 |
3.4 |
6.0 |
15.1 |
13.4 |
13.0 |
13.7 |
10.3 |
8.1 |
|
|
|
| Rhode Island |
3.1 |
2.5 |
4.6 |
17.0 |
16.4 |
12.4 |
11.2 |
12.8 |
10.5 |
|
|
|
| South Carolina |
2.4 |
3.3 |
2.6 |
12.1 |
12.4 |
8.7 |
8.6 |
6.3 |
5.1 |
|
|
|
| South Dakota |
3.4 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
10.2 |
9.4 |
7.2 |
6.3 |
4.8 |
4.1 |
|
|
|
| Tennessee |
3.3 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
14.7 |
11.0 |
9.7 |
9.5 |
8.5 |
6.3 |
|
|
|
| Texas |
4.5 |
2.5 |
4.7 |
12.8 |
13.0 |
8.6 |
8.0 |
6.8 |
8.3 |
|
|
|
| Utah |
2.5 |
3.4 |
3.6 |
9.7 |
8.6 |
5.1 |
4.5 |
4.1 |
5 |
|
|
|
| Vermont |
2.4 |
2.6 |
3.2 |
15.6 |
12.8 |
9.4 |
8.3 |
4.8 |
4.2 |
|
|
|
| Virginia |
2.7 |
3.8 |
3.3 |
10.6 |
9.0 |
8.4 |
8.0 |
6.1 |
6.2 |
|
|
|
| Washington |
3.9 |
4.9 |
5.1 |
15.4 |
15.1 |
9.8 |
10.3 |
8.5 |
7.8 |
|
|
|
| West Virginia |
5.0 |
3.7 |
6.1 |
15.2 |
12.9 |
10.4 |
9.9 |
8.9 |
8.6 |
|
|
|
| Wisconsin |
3.5 |
2.7 |
3.4 |
14.1 |
12.1 |
8.5 |
7.0 |
6.2 |
5.4 |
|
|
|
| Wyoming |
3.7 |
5.8 |
3.7 |
9.2 |
8.8 |
7.6 |
7.1 |
6.6 |
6.1 |
|
|
|
| Puerto Rico |
8.9 |
4.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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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