February State Unemployment Remained Unchanged in 24 States

On Thursday, the Joint Economic Committee released its monthly State Employment Update, outlining the employment situation in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In February, among all 50 states and D.C., the unemployment rate fell in 9, rose in 18, and remained unchanged in 24.

In February, Arizona added 11,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.6 percent. In the prior month, Arizona added 6,800 net payroll jobs.

Over the past 12 months, Arizona lost 300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 4.2 percent.

Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Arizona ranks 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

In February, Arizona’s private sector added 10,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 7,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arizona added 7,900 net private payroll jobs.

In February, employment in Arizona fell by 16,669, and over the past 12 months it fell by 1,510.

Arizona’s labor force participation rate fell to 61.7 percent in February from 62 percent and ranks 34th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.4 percentage points.

The highest unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.3 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate in February was 4.4 percent. Compared to the national rate, three States matched the national average while 27 States were lower, and 20 States and the District of Columbia were higher. In comparison to the national labor force participation rate of 62 percent in February, 20 States were lower, and 30 States and the District of Columbia were higher.

Also, in February, payroll jobs rose in 14 states and fell in 36. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Wyoming. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Nebraska.