For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Thursday, February 28, 2019 USDL-19-0327
Technical information: (202) 691-6392 * lausinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/lau
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
REGIONAL AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT -- 2018 ANNUAL AVERAGES
In 2018, annual average unemployment rates decreased in 25 states,
increased in 1 state, and were little changed or unchanged in 24
states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios increased
in 9 states, decreased in 1 state, and were little changed or
unchanged in 40 states and the District. The U.S. jobless rate
declined by 0.5 percentage point from the prior year to 3.9 percent,
and the national employment-population ratio rose by 0.3 point
to 60.4 percent.
Regional Unemployment
All four census regions had unemployment rate decreases from 2017:
the Northeast and South (-0.5 percentage point each), Midwest
(-0.4 point), and West (-0.3 point). The Midwest had the lowest
jobless rate, 3.7 percent in 2018, while the West had the highest
rate, 4.2 percent. No other region had a rate significantly different
from that of the United States. In 2018, the unemployment rates in
the South (3.8 percent) and West (4.2 percent) were the lowest in
their respective series. All region, division, and state series begin
in 1976. (See table 1.)
Eight of the 9 geographic divisions had over-the-year unemployment
rate changes in 2018, all of which were decreases. The largest of
these declines occurred in the South Atlantic (-0.6 percentage point).
The lowest jobless rate was in the West North Central, 3.0 percent,
followed by the New England and South Atlantic divisions, 3.5 percent
and 3.7 percent, respectively. The highest rates were in the Middle
Atlantic and Pacific, 4.2 percent each. The remaining four divisions
had rates that were not significantly different from that of the United
States. Three divisions recorded new series-low unemployment rates in
2018: the East South Central (4.0 percent), Pacific (4.2 percent), and
West South Central (3.9 percent).
State Unemployment
Twenty-five states had statistically significant unemployment rate
decreases in 2018, the largest of which occurred in New Mexico (-1.0
percentage point). Colorado had the only over-the-year rate increase
(+0.6 percentage point). The remaining 24 states and the District of
Columbia had annual average jobless rates in 2018 that were not
appreciably different from those of the previous year, though some
had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant
changes. (See table A.)
Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate in 2018, 2.4 percent, followed
by Iowa and New Hampshire, 2.5 percent each. Alaska had the highest
jobless rate, 6.6 percent. Overall, 20 states had unemployment rates
significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 3.9 percent, 12 states
and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 18 states had rates
that were not substantially different from that of the nation. Fourteen
states newly recorded the lowest annual average unemployment rates in
their respective series in 2018: Alabama (3.9 percent), California
(4.2 percent), Idaho (2.8 percent), Iowa (2.5 percent), Mississippi
(4.8 percent), Missouri (3.2 percent), New York (4.1 percent), North
Dakota (2.6 percent), South Carolina (3.4 percent), Tennessee (3.5
percent), Texas (3.9 percent), Vermont (2.7 percent), Washington
(4.5 percent), and Wisconsin (3.0 percent). (See table B.)
Regional Employment-Population Ratios
In 2018, three census regions had statistically significant changes
in their employment-population ratios--the proportion of the civilian
noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over who are employed--
all of which were increases. These increases occurred in the Northeast
(+0.5 percentage point), West (+0.4 point), and South (+0.3 point). The
Midwest had the highest ratio, 62.5 percent, while the South, at 59.2
percent, had the lowest. These two regions had the only ratios that
were notably different from the national figure of 60.4 percent. (See
table 2.)
Four of the 9 geographic divisions had increases in their employment-
population ratios from 2017 to 2018. The largest of these increases
was in New England (+1.0 percentage point), followed by the Mountain
(+0.5 point) and Pacific and West South Central (+0.4 point each).
The remaining five divisions had little or no change in their ratios
over the year. The division with the highest employment-population
ratio in 2018 was the West North Central, 65.3 percent, followed by
New England, 64.4 percent. These two divisions, along with the Mountain
and East North Central, at 61.7 percent and 61.2 percent, respectively,
had employment-population ratios significantly above that of the United
States. The East South Central had the lowest proportion of employed
persons, 56.4 percent. This division, along with the Middle Atlantic
and South Atlantic, at 59.2 percent and 59.3 percent, respectively, had
ratios appreciably below the national average of 60.4 percent.
State Employment-Population Ratios
In 2018, the largest employment-population ratio increase among the
states occurred in Massachusetts (+1.6 percentage points). Eight other
states also had significant increases in their ratios. North Dakota
was the only state with an over-the-year decrease in its employment-
population ratio (-1.2 percentage points). The remaining 40 states and
the District of Columbia had ratios that were not notably different
from those of the previous year, though some had changes that were at
least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See table C.)
Minnesota had the highest proportion of employed persons in 2018, 67.8
percent, followed by North Dakota and Nebraska, 67.7 percent and 67.3
percent, respectively. West Virginia had the lowest employment-population
ratio among the states, 51.0 percent. (West Virginia has had the lowest
ratio each year since the series began in 1976.) Overall, 22 states and
the District of Columbia had employment-population ratios significantly
higher than the U.S. ratio of 60.4 percent and 17 states had ratios that
were appreciably below it. Alaska and Wyoming each had the lowest
employment-population ratios in their series (60.9 percent and 62.1 percent,
respectively). (See table D.)
_____________
The State Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2019
is scheduled to be released on Monday, March 11, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.
(EDT). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release
for January 2019 is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 15, 2019,
at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).
Table A. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes,
2017-18 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Rate |
|-------------------------| Over-the-year
State | | | rate change
| 2017 | 2018 |
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
Alabama ........................| 4.4 | 3.9 | -0.5
California .....................| 4.8 | 4.2 | -.6
Colorado .......................| 2.7 | 3.3 | .6
Connecticut ....................| 4.7 | 4.1 | -.6
Delaware .......................| 4.5 | 3.8 | -.7
Florida ........................| 4.2 | 3.6 | -.6
Georgia ........................| 4.7 | 3.9 | -.8
Idaho ..........................| 3.2 | 2.8 | -.4
Illinois .......................| 4.9 | 4.3 | -.6
Iowa ...........................| 3.1 | 2.5 | -.6
| | |
Kentucky .......................| 4.9 | 4.3 | -.6
Massachusetts ..................| 3.8 | 3.3 | -.5
Michigan .......................| 4.6 | 4.1 | -.5
Minnesota ......................| 3.4 | 2.9 | -.5
Missouri .......................| 3.8 | 3.2 | -.6
Nevada .........................| 5.1 | 4.6 | -.5
New Jersey .....................| 4.6 | 4.1 | -.5
New Mexico .....................| 5.9 | 4.9 | -1.0
New York .......................| 4.7 | 4.1 | -.6
North Carolina .................| 4.5 | 3.9 | -.6
| | |
Oklahoma .......................| 4.2 | 3.4 | -.8
Pennsylvania ...................| 4.9 | 4.3 | -.6
South Carolina .................| 4.3 | 3.4 | -.9
Texas ..........................| 4.3 | 3.9 | -.4
Vermont ........................| 3.0 | 2.7 | -.3
Virginia .......................| 3.7 | 3.0 | -.7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table B. States with unemployment rates significantly differ-
ent from that of the U.S., 2018 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------
State | Rate
--------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................| 3.9
|
Alaska ..............................| 6.6
Arizona .............................| 4.8
California ..........................| 4.2
Colorado ............................| 3.3
District of Columbia ................| 5.6
Florida .............................| 3.6
Hawaii ..............................| 2.4
Idaho ...............................| 2.8
Illinois ............................| 4.3
Indiana .............................| 3.4
|
Iowa ................................| 2.5
Kansas ..............................| 3.4
Louisiana ...........................| 4.9
Massachusetts .......................| 3.3
Minnesota ...........................| 2.9
Mississippi .........................| 4.8
Missouri ............................| 3.2
Nebraska ............................| 2.8
Nevada ..............................| 4.6
New Hampshire .......................| 2.5
|
New Mexico ..........................| 4.9
North Dakota ........................| 2.6
Ohio ................................| 4.6
Oklahoma ............................| 3.4
Pennsylvania ........................| 4.3
South Carolina ......................| 3.4
South Dakota ........................| 3.0
Utah ................................| 3.1
Vermont .............................| 2.7
Virginia ............................| 3.0
|
Washington ..........................| 4.5
West Virginia .......................| 5.3
Wisconsin ...........................| 3.0
--------------------------------------------------------------
Table C. States with statistically significant employment-population
ratio changes, 2017-18 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Ratio |
|-------------------------| Over-the-year
State | | | ratio change
| 2017 | 2018 |
--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------
Alabama ........................| 54.3 | 54.9 | 0.6
Arizona ........................| 57.6 | 58.4 | .8
California .....................| 59.2 | 59.8 | .6
Colorado .......................| 66.2 | 66.9 | .7
Massachusetts ..................| 63.7 | 65.3 | 1.6
Nevada .........................| 59.5 | 60.1 | .6
New Mexico .....................| 54.2 | 54.7 | .5
New York .......................| 58.0 | 58.5 | .5
North Dakota ...................| 68.9 | 67.7 | -1.2
Texas ..........................| 61.1 | 61.5 | .4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table D. States with employment-population ratios significantly
different from that of the U.S., 2018 annual averages
----------------------------------------------------------------
State | Ratio
----------------------------------------------------------------
United States .......................| 60.4
|
Alabama .............................| 54.9
Arizona .............................| 58.4
Arkansas ............................| 55.7
California ..........................| 59.8
Colorado ............................| 66.9
Connecticut .........................| 63.4
District of Columbia ................| 66.5
Florida .............................| 57.3
Idaho ...............................| 62.3
Illinois ............................| 61.7
|
Indiana .............................| 62.7
Iowa ................................| 66.7
Kansas ..............................| 64.5
Kentucky ............................| 56.5
Louisiana ...........................| 55.9
Maryland ............................| 64.6
Massachusetts .......................| 65.3
Michigan ............................| 58.8
Minnesota ...........................| 67.8
Mississippi .........................| 53.0
|
Missouri ............................| 61.6
Nebraska ............................| 67.3
New Hampshire .......................| 66.6
New Mexico ..........................| 54.7
New York ............................| 58.5
North Carolina ......................| 58.8
North Dakota ........................| 67.7
Ohio ................................| 59.5
Oklahoma ............................| 59.1
Rhode Island ........................| 61.9
|
South Carolina ......................| 56.0
South Dakota ........................| 66.6
Tennessee ...........................| 58.8
Texas ...............................| 61.5
Utah ................................| 66.1
Vermont .............................| 64.9
Virginia ............................| 63.2
West Virginia .......................| 51.0
Wisconsin ...........................| 65.9
Wyoming .............................| 62.1
----------------------------------------------------------------
Technical Note
This release presents labor force and unemployment data for census regions
and divisions and states from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)
program. The LAUS program is a federal-state cooperative endeavor.
Concepts
Definitions. The labor force and unemployment data are based on the same
concepts and definitions as those used for the official national estimates
obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a sample survey of
households that is conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by
the U.S. Census Bureau. The LAUS program measures employed and unemployed
persons on a place-of-residence basis. The universe for each is the civilian
noninstitutional population 16 years of age and older. Employed persons are
those who did any work at all for pay or profit in the reference week (the
week including the 12th of the month) or worked 15 hours or more without
pay in a family business or farm, plus those not working who had a job from
which they were temporarily absent, whether or not paid, for such reasons
as labor management dispute, illness, or vacation. Unemployed persons are
those who were not employed during the reference week (based on the
definition above), had actively looked for a job sometime in the 4-week
period ending with the reference week, and were currently available for
work; persons on layoff expecting recall need not be looking for work to
be counted as unemployed. The labor force is the sum of employed and
unemployed persons. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed
expressed as a percent of the labor force. The employment-population ratio
is the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of
age and older that is employed.
Method of estimation. Estimates for 48 of the 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metropolitan division, New
York City, and the balances of California and New York State are produced
using estimating equations based on regression techniques. This method
utilizes data from several sources, including the CPS, the Current
Employment Statistics (CES) survey of nonfarm payroll employment, and
state unemployment insurance (UI) programs. Estimates for the State of
California are derived by summing the estimates for the Los Angeles-Long
Beach-Glendale metropolitan division and the balance of California.
Similarly, estimates for New York State are derived by summing the
estimates for New York City and the balance of New York State. Estimates
for all nine census divisions are based on a similar regression approach
that does not incorporate CES or UI data. Estimates for census regions
are obtained by summing the model-based estimates for the component
divisions and then calculating the unemployment rate. Each month, census
division estimates are controlled to national totals; state estimates
are then controlled to their respective division totals. Estimates for
Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to the
CPS. A detailed description of the estimation procedures is available
from BLS upon request.
Annual revisions. Labor force and unemployment data for prior years
reflect adjustments made at the beginning of each year. The adjusted
estimates incorporate updated population controls from the U.S. Census
Bureau, any revisions in the other data sources, and model re-estimation.
The population controls reflect extrapolation from the 2010 Census. In
most years, historical data for the most recent 5 years (both seasonally
adjusted and not seasonally adjusted) are revised near the beginning of
each calendar year, prior to the release of January estimates. Though
the labor force estimates typically are updated for 5 years, the
population estimates are revised back to the decennial estimates base
(April 2010).
Reliability of the estimates
The estimates presented in this release are based on sample surveys,
administrative data, and modeling and, thus, are subject to sampling and
other types of errors. Sampling error is a measure of sampling variability--
that is, variation that occurs by chance because a sample rather than
the entire population is surveyed. Survey data also are subject to
nonsampling errors, such as those which can be introduced into the data
collection and processing operations. Estimates not directly derived
from sample surveys are subject to additional errors resulting from the
specific estimation processes used. In table 1, level estimates for
states may not sum to level estimates for regions and divisions because
of rounding. Unemployment rates and employment-population ratios are
computed from unrounded levels and, thus, may differ slightly from rates
and ratios computed using the rounded level estimates displayed in table 1.
Use of error measures. Changes in unemployment rates and employment-population
ratios are cited in the analysis of this release only if they have been determined
to be statistically significant. Furthermore, unemployment rates and
employment-population ratios for the latest year generally are cited only
if they have been determined to be significantly different from the corresponding
U.S. measure. The underlying model-based error measures are available online at
www.bls.gov/lau/lastderr.htm. BLS uses 90-percent confidence levels in determining
whether changes in LAUS unemployment rates and employment-population ratios are
statistically significant. The average magnitude of the over-the-year change in
an annual state unemployment rate that is required in order to be statistically
significant at the 90-percent confidence level is about 0.4 percentage point. The
average magnitude of the over-the-year change in an annual state employment-
population ratio that is required in order to be statistically significant
at the 90-percent confidence level is about 0.5 percentage point. Measures
of nonsampling error are not available.
Additional information
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay
Service: (800) 877-8339.
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,
2017-18 annual averages
(Numbers in thousands)
Population Civilian labor Employed Unemployed Unemployment
force rate Error range of
Region, division, and state rate, 2018 (1)
2017 2018 2017 2018 2017 2018 2017 2018 2017 2018
United States............. 255,079 257,791 160,320 162,075 153,337 155,761 6,982 6,314 4.4 3.9 3.8 - 4.0
Northeast...................... 45,074 45,168 28,385 28,495 27,110 27,362 1,275 1,133 4.5 4.0 3.8 - 4.1
New England................. 12,045 12,110 7,946 8,073 7,638 7,793 307 280 3.9 3.5 3.2 - 3.7
Connecticut.............. 2,878 2,883 1,897 1,905 1,808 1,827 89 78 4.7 4.1 3.5 - 4.7
Maine.................... 1,099 1,104 698 699 675 675 24 24 3.4 3.4 2.8 - 3.9
Massachusetts............ 5,586 5,630 3,696 3,805 3,557 3,678 139 127 3.8 3.3 3.0 - 3.7
New Hampshire............ 1,105 1,114 754 762 734 743 20 19 2.7 2.5 2.2 - 2.9
Rhode Island............. 859 861 554 556 529 533 24 23 4.4 4.1 3.5 - 4.7
Vermont.................. 516 519 346 346 336 337 10 9 3.0 2.7 2.3 - 3.0
Middle Atlantic............. 33,030 33,058 20,440 20,422 19,472 19,569 968 853 4.7 4.2 4.0 - 4.4
New Jersey............... 7,058 7,082 4,454 4,423 4,248 4,240 206 183 4.6 4.1 3.7 - 4.6
New York................. 15,724 15,705 9,561 9,575 9,114 9,181 448 394 4.7 4.1 3.8 - 4.4
Pennsylvania............. 10,248 10,271 6,425 6,424 6,111 6,149 314 276 4.9 4.3 3.9 - 4.7
Midwest........................ 53,468 53,674 34,777 34,817 33,344 33,530 1,433 1,287 4.1 3.7 3.6 - 3.8
East North Central.......... 36,961 37,072 23,623 23,642 22,570 22,687 1,053 955 4.5 4.0 3.8 - 4.2
Illinois................. 10,049 10,035 6,490 6,470 6,171 6,191 319 278 4.9 4.3 3.9 - 4.7
Indiana.................. 5,176 5,208 3,337 3,382 3,218 3,266 119 116 3.6 3.4 3.0 - 3.9
Michigan................. 7,954 7,986 4,886 4,902 4,661 4,699 225 203 4.6 4.1 3.7 - 4.6
Ohio..................... 9,193 9,229 5,770 5,755 5,483 5,492 287 263 5.0 4.6 4.2 - 5.0
Wisconsin................ 4,589 4,615 3,140 3,133 3,037 3,039 103 94 3.3 3.0 2.6 - 3.4
West North Central.......... 16,507 16,602 11,154 11,176 10,774 10,843 380 332 3.4 3.0 2.8 - 3.2
Iowa..................... 2,453 2,465 1,678 1,687 1,626 1,644 52 43 3.1 2.5 2.1 - 2.9
Kansas................... 2,217 2,222 1,479 1,482 1,425 1,432 54 50 3.7 3.4 2.9 - 3.8
Minnesota................ 4,357 4,395 3,057 3,070 2,953 2,981 104 89 3.4 2.9 2.5 - 3.3
Missouri................. 4,776 4,796 3,061 3,052 2,946 2,955 115 98 3.8 3.2 2.8 - 3.6
Nebraska................. 1,463 1,474 1,012 1,020 982 992 29 29 2.9 2.8 2.4 - 3.2
North Dakota............. 579 582 410 404 399 394 11 11 2.7 2.6 2.3 - 3.0
South Dakota............. 662 669 456 459 442 446 15 14 3.2 3.0 2.6 - 3.5
South.......................... 96,100 97,203 59,137 59,772 56,571 57,497 2,566 2,275 4.3 3.8 3.7 - 3.9
South Atlantic.............. 51,037 51,681 31,557 31,846 30,196 30,670 1,362 1,176 4.3 3.7 3.5 - 3.9
Delaware................. 762 772 477 482 455 464 21 18 4.5 3.8 3.2 - 4.3
District of Columbia..... 570 575 401 405 377 382 24 22 6.1 5.6 5.0 - 6.1
Florida.................. 16,940 17,233 10,093 10,235 9,669 9,870 424 365 4.2 3.6 3.3 - 3.9
Georgia.................. 7,995 8,099 5,059 5,108 4,822 4,906 237 201 4.7 3.9 3.5 - 4.3
Maryland................. 4,736 4,755 3,193 3,197 3,058 3,072 136 125 4.3 3.9 3.5 - 4.4
North Carolina........... 8,029 8,141 4,938 4,982 4,717 4,787 221 195 4.5 3.9 3.5 - 4.3
South Carolina........... 3,946 4,004 2,306 2,323 2,207 2,244 99 80 4.3 3.4 3.0 - 3.9
Virginia................. 6,595 6,645 4,310 4,331 4,150 4,203 159 129 3.7 3.0 2.6 - 3.3
West Virginia............ 1,464 1,456 780 783 739 742 41 41 5.2 5.3 4.7 - 5.8
East South Central.......... 14,869 14,958 8,703 8,781 8,320 8,431 382 350 4.4 4.0 3.7 - 4.2
Alabama.................. 3,833 3,847 2,178 2,199 2,082 2,112 97 86 4.4 3.9 3.5 - 4.4
Kentucky................. 3,475 3,490 2,054 2,062 1,953 1,972 101 89 4.9 4.3 3.8 - 4.9
Mississippi.............. 2,290 2,293 1,281 1,276 1,215 1,215 65 61 5.1 4.8 4.2 - 5.3
Tennessee................ 5,270 5,329 3,190 3,245 3,070 3,132 120 113 3.8 3.5 3.1 - 3.9
West South Central.......... 30,195 30,563 18,877 19,145 18,055 18,396 822 749 4.4 3.9 3.7 - 4.1
Arkansas................. 2,324 2,336 1,348 1,351 1,298 1,301 50 50 3.7 3.7 3.3 - 4.1
Louisiana................ 3,584 3,582 2,104 2,103 1,996 2,001 108 103 5.1 4.9 4.4 - 5.4
Oklahoma................. 3,000 3,011 1,836 1,842 1,758 1,779 78 63 4.2 3.4 2.9 - 3.9
Texas.................... 21,287 21,635 13,589 13,848 13,003 13,314 586 534 4.3 3.9 3.6 - 4.1
West........................... 60,358 61,046 37,975 38,555 36,269 36,954 1,706 1,601 4.5 4.2 4.0 - 4.3
Mountain.................... 18,679 19,028 11,916 12,224 11,433 11,736 483 487 4.1 4.0 3.8 - 4.2
Arizona.................. 5,492 5,606 3,328 3,440 3,165 3,274 163 166 4.9 4.8 4.3 - 5.3
Colorado................. 4,399 4,477 2,992 3,096 2,911 2,995 81 102 2.7 3.3 2.8 - 3.7
Idaho.................... 1,305 1,337 835 857 808 833 27 24 3.2 2.8 2.5 - 3.2
Montana.................. 834 843 525 528 504 509 21 20 3.9 3.7 3.3 - 4.2
Nevada................... 2,328 2,382 1,458 1,500 1,385 1,432 74 68 5.1 4.6 4.0 - 5.1
New Mexico............... 1,625 1,633 936 940 881 894 55 47 5.9 4.9 4.4 - 5.5
Utah..................... 2,248 2,303 1,548 1,572 1,498 1,523 50 49 3.3 3.1 2.7 - 3.5
Wyoming.................. 448 448 293 290 281 278 12 12 4.2 4.1 3.6 - 4.6
Pacific..................... 41,679 42,018 26,059 26,331 24,836 25,218 1,223 1,114 4.7 4.2 4.0 - 4.4
Alaska................... 547 547 361 357 336 333 25 24 7.0 6.6 5.9 - 7.3
California............... 30,865 31,063 19,205 19,398 18,285 18,583 920 815 4.8 4.2 4.0 - 4.4
Hawaii................... 1,093 1,092 684 679 667 662 17 17 2.4 2.4 2.0 - 2.8
Oregon................... 3,332 3,376 2,091 2,105 2,005 2,017 86 87 4.1 4.2 3.7 - 4.6
Washington............... 5,842 5,941 3,719 3,793 3,544 3,622 175 171 4.7 4.5 4.1 - 4.9
Puerto Rico.................... 2,739 2,682 1,096 1,084 977 985 119 100 10.8 9.2 NA
1 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded data.
NA = Data not available.
NOTE: Data refer to place of residence. Unemployment rates are in percent and are based on unrounded levels. Data for subnational
areas reflect revised population controls and model re-estimation. As a result, they do not sum to U.S. totals. Data for Puerto Rico
are derived from a monthly household survey similar to the Current Population Survey.
Table 2. Employment-population ratios of persons 16 years of age and over by region, division,
and state, 2017-18 annual averages
(Percent)
Employment-population
ratio (1) Over-the- Error range of
Region, division, and state year ratio,
change 2018 (2)
2017 2018
United States............. 60.1 60.4 0.3 60.2 - 60.6
Northeast...................... 60.1 60.6 .5 60.2 - 61.0
New England................. 63.4 64.4 1.0 63.7 - 65.0
Connecticut.............. 62.8 63.4 .6 62.1 - 64.7
Maine.................... 61.4 61.2 -.2 59.8 - 62.6
Massachusetts............ 63.7 65.3 1.6 64.4 - 66.2
New Hampshire............ 66.4 66.6 .2 65.6 - 67.7
Rhode Island............. 61.6 61.9 .3 60.7 - 63.2
Vermont.................. 65.0 64.9 -.1 63.8 - 66.1
Middle Atlantic............. 59.0 59.2 .2 58.7 - 59.7
New Jersey............... 60.2 59.9 -.3 58.9 - 60.8
New York................. 58.0 58.5 .5 57.8 - 59.2
Pennsylvania............. 59.6 59.9 .3 59.1 - 60.6
Midwest........................ 62.4 62.5 .1 62.1 - 62.9
East North Central.......... 61.1 61.2 .1 60.7 - 61.7
Illinois................. 61.4 61.7 .3 60.9 - 62.5
Indiana.................. 62.2 62.7 .5 61.6 - 63.8
Michigan................. 58.6 58.8 .2 57.9 - 59.7
Ohio..................... 59.6 59.5 -.1 58.7 - 60.3
Wisconsin................ 66.2 65.9 -.3 64.8 - 66.9
West North Central.......... 65.3 65.3 .0 64.7 - 65.9
Iowa..................... 66.3 66.7 .4 65.5 - 68.0
Kansas................... 64.3 64.5 .2 63.3 - 65.6
Minnesota................ 67.8 67.8 .0 66.7 - 69.0
Missouri................. 61.7 61.6 -.1 60.6 - 62.6
Nebraska................. 67.1 67.3 .2 66.3 - 68.3
North Dakota............. 68.9 67.7 -1.2 66.2 - 69.2
South Dakota............. 66.7 66.6 -.1 65.3 - 67.9
South.......................... 58.9 59.2 .3 58.9 - 59.4
South Atlantic.............. 59.2 59.3 .1 58.9 - 59.8
Delaware................. 59.8 60.2 .4 58.9 - 61.4
District of Columbia..... 66.2 66.5 .3 65.3 - 67.7
Florida.................. 57.1 57.3 .2 56.6 - 57.9
Georgia.................. 60.3 60.6 .3 59.7 - 61.5
Maryland................. 64.6 64.6 .0 63.5 - 65.7
North Carolina........... 58.8 58.8 .0 58.0 - 59.6
South Carolina........... 55.9 56.0 .1 55.2 - 56.9
Virginia................. 62.9 63.2 .3 62.3 - 64.2
West Virginia............ 50.5 51.0 .5 49.3 - 52.6
East South Central.......... 56.0 56.4 .4 55.7 - 57.0
Alabama.................. 54.3 54.9 .6 53.9 - 55.9
Kentucky................. 56.2 56.5 .3 55.3 - 57.7
Mississippi.............. 53.1 53.0 -.1 51.8 - 54.2
Tennessee................ 58.3 58.8 .5 57.7 - 59.8
West South Central.......... 59.8 60.2 .4 59.7 - 60.7
Arkansas................. 55.8 55.7 -.1 54.7 - 56.7
Louisiana................ 55.7 55.9 .2 54.8 - 56.9
Oklahoma................. 58.6 59.1 .5 57.9 - 60.3
Texas.................... 61.1 61.5 .4 61.0 - 62.1
West........................... 60.1 60.5 .4 60.2 - 60.9
Mountain.................... 61.2 61.7 .5 61.1 - 62.3
Arizona.................. 57.6 58.4 .8 57.3 - 59.4
Colorado................. 66.2 66.9 .7 65.7 - 68.1
Idaho.................... 61.9 62.3 .4 61.2 - 63.4
Montana.................. 60.5 60.3 -.2 59.3 - 61.4
Nevada................... 59.5 60.1 .6 59.2 - 61.1
New Mexico............... 54.2 54.7 .5 53.6 - 55.9
Utah..................... 66.6 66.1 -.5 65.1 - 67.2
Wyoming.................. 62.6 62.1 -.5 60.7 - 63.4
Pacific..................... 59.6 60.0 .4 59.6 - 60.4
Alaska................... 61.4 60.9 -.5 59.5 - 62.4
California............... 59.2 59.8 .6 59.4 - 60.3
Hawaii................... 61.0 60.6 -.4 59.5 - 61.8
Oregon................... 60.2 59.8 -.4 58.5 - 61.0
Washington............... 60.7 61.0 .3 60.0 - 61.9
Puerto Rico.................... 35.7 36.7 1.0 NA
1 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age
and over.
2 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded
data.
NA = Data not available.
NOTE: Data refer to place of residence. Employment-population ratios are based on
unrounded levels. Data for subnational areas reflect revised population controls and model
re-estimation. Data for Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to
the Current Population Survey.
United States Department of Labor
