Ala. unemployment No. 2 in June

Unemployment rates were lower in June in six U.S. states and stable in 44 and the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Three states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier. The national unemployment rate (3.7 percent) was little changed from May, but was a 0.3 percentage point lower in June 2018. Vermont had the lowest unemployment rate in June, 2.1 percent. The rates in Alabama (3.5 percent), Arkansas (3.5 percent), New Jersey (3.5 percent), and Texas (3.4 percent) set new series lows. Alaska had the highest jobless rate at 6.4 percent. Thirteen states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure, while nine states and D.C. had higher rates; and 28 states had rates not appreciably different. In June, six states had unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which was New Jersey (-0.3 percentage point), followed by Alabama and Colorado (-0.2 point each). Louisiana’s June unemployment rate was 3.2 percent; and Mississippi was 5.0 percent. The remaining states/D.C. had jobless rates not notably different from the previous month. Non-farm payroll employment increased in four states in June 2019: California (+46,200, or +0.3 percent), Texas (+45,000, or +0.4 percent), Georgia (+20,200, or +0.4 percent), and Tennessee (+9,600, or +0.3 percent). Twenty-eight states had over-the-year increases in non-farm payroll employment in June. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+315,600), California (+296,100), and Florida (+218,800). Bureau of Labor and Statistics 07/19/19) Note: The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for June is scheduled to be released on Thursday, Aug. 1, at 9 a.m. (CDT). The State Employment and Unemployment news release for July is scheduled to be released on Friday, Aug. 16, at 9 a.m. (CDT).