WASHINGTON: New Jersey was one of eight states to see a rising unemployment rate in August, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Division of Current Employment Statistics. In August, eight states had unemployment rate increases, the largest of which was in Indiana (+0.4 percentage point), closely followed by California, New Jersey, Oregon, and West Virginia (+0.3 point each). Idaho had the only notable rate decrease (-0.1 percentage point). The remaining 41 states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See table B.) Twenty-one states had unemployment rate decreases from August 2016. The largest declines occurred in Alabama and Tennessee (-1.7 percentage points and -1.5 points, respectively). The only over-the-year rate increase occurred in South Dakota (+0.4 percentage point). (See table C.)
Unemployment rates were higher in August in 8 states, lower in 1 state, and stable in 41 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Twenty-one states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 1 state had an increase, and 28 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate, 4.4 percent, was little changed from July but was 0.5 percentage point lower than in August 2016. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 6 states in August 2017, decreased in 3 states, and was essentially unchanged in 41 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 29 states and the District added nonfarm payroll jobs and 21 states were essentially unchanged. Hurricane Harvey had no discernible effect on the employment and unemployment data for August. Household survey data collection was completed before the storm.
