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Jobless rates in the U.S. edged up at the national level while states witnessed varied rates in February 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has said. The fluctuations observed among the states were more significant when compared to the previous year, BLS said in a press release.
North Dakota and South Dakota boasted the lowest jobless rates at 2.0 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively, while California and Nevada reported the highest rates at 5.3 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively. Overall, 22 states had unemployment rates lower than the national average of 3.9 percent, while 6 states and the District of Columbia reported higher rates.
Three states experienced over-the-month unemployment rate increases, with Rhode Island leading at 0.3 percentage points, followed by Connecticut and Washington at 0.1 points each. Conversely, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts saw decreases of 0.2, 0.2, and 0.1 percentage points, respectively. Over the year, 28 states saw increases, notably Rhode Island with a significant 1.1 percentage point rise, while only three states witnessed decreases, led by Massachusetts with a 0.7 percentage point drop.
Nonfarm payroll employment in February 2024 experienced growth in four states, with Texas leading with an increase of 49,800 jobs (or 0.4 percent), followed by Illinois, Michigan, and Iowa. However, the majority of states, 46 in total, witnessed negligible changes in employment.
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 25 states, with Texas, Florida, and California reporting the largest job gains. Meanwhile, 25 states and the District of Columbia saw no significant change. Notably, Nevada, Alaska, and South Carolina recorded the highest percentage increases in employment.
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