Unemployment rates declined from August to September in 30 states, rose in eight states and were stable in 12 states and Washington, D.C., according to data released Oct. 20 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While the unemployment rate dropped in many states month over month, all states and Washington, D.C., saw jobless rate increases in September compared to the same month a year prior.
The latest bureau data also showed the size of the workforce declined in more than half of the 30 states where unemployment rates fell from August to September, suggesting many workers stopped job searches last month, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Overall, the U.S. added 661,000 jobs in September, marking the fifth consecutive month of gains, but a decrease from 1.4 million jobs added in August and 1.8 million jobs added in July. The unemployment rate also fell to 7.9 percent in September, compared to 8.4 percent in August and 10.2 percent in July.
Here are the states where unemployment rates were lower last month than in August, according to the bureau.
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Here are the states where unemployment rates were higher last month compared to August, according to the bureau.
- Texas
- Utah
- North Carolina
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
To view the full bureau report, click here.