Technical information:
Media contact:
(202) 691-6392
http://www.bls.gov/lau/
691-5902
USDL 04-289
For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Friday, February 27, 2004
STATE AND REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT, 2003 ANNUAL AVERAGES
Annual average unemployment rates edged up in three regions and rose in about two-thirds of the states
in 2003. Meanwhile, employment-population ratios again declined in all four regions and in the majority of
states, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. At the national level,
the jobless rate edged up by 0.2 percentage point to 6.0 percent, while the employment-population ratio declined by 0.4 percentage point to 62.3 percent.
Regional Unemployment
Among the four regions, the Midwest experienced the largest jobless rate increase from 2002 (+0.4 percentage point), the Northeast and South both recorded smaller increases (+0.2 point each), and the West
reported no rate change from the year before. For the 12th consecutive year, the West registered the highest
regional unemployment rate, 6.5 percent. The Northeast and South each reported the lowest jobless rate,
5.8 percent, little different from the 5.9 percent rate in the Midwest. The range between the highest and
lowest regional rates narrowed from 1.0 percentage point in 2002 to 0.7 point last year, despite generally
higher rates.
In 2003, the New England and West South Central divisions posted the largest annual unemployment
rate increases (+0.6 percentage point each), followed by the East North Central and West North Central
divisions (+0.4 point each) and the East South Central (+0.3 point). For the 12th year in a row, the Pacific
division reported the highest unemployment rate, 6.9 percent. The next highest rate was recorded in the
West South Central division, 6.6 percent. The West North Central division, at 5.0 percent, posted the
lowest rate for the second consecutive year, followed by the South Atlantic and New England divisions, at
5.2 and 5.4 percent, respectively.
State Unemployment
Annual average unemployment rates rose in 34 states and the District of Columbia from 2002 to 2003,
declined in 11 states, and were unchanged in 5 states. The largest rate increases were in Connecticut and
Oklahoma (+1.2 percentage points each), Michigan (+1.1 points), and New Mexico (+1.0 point). Thirteen
additional states and the District of Columbia registered over-the-year rate increases of at least one-half
percentage point. All four states in the West South Central division and four of the six states in New
England recorded increases of 0.5 percentage point or greater. Arizona reported the largest annual
unemployment rate decline from 2002 (-0.6 percentage point), followed closely by Mississippi and Utah
(-0.5 point each). The Mountain division had the largest number of states reporting annual average
2
unemployment rate decreases in 2003, as four of its eight states had declines, ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 percentage point. (See table 1 and chart 1.)
States in the Pacific division continued to record the highest jobless rates in the nation in 2003: Oregon,
8.2 percent, Alaska, 8.0 percent, and Washington, 7.5 percent. The lowest jobless rates for the year were
reported in three West North Central states—South Dakota, 3.6 percent, and Nebraska and North Dakota,
4.0 percent each. Overall, 32 states had unemployment rates below the national average of 6.0 percent, 17
states and the District of Columbia had rates above it, and one state had a rate equal to it. All seven states
in the West North Central division and all six in New England posted rates below that of the Nation. In
contrast, four of the five Pacific states and three of the four West South Central states recorded rates above
the U.S. figure. (See chart 2.)
Regional Employment-Population Ratios
All four regions recorded declines in their annual employment-population ratios—the proportion of the
civilian noninstitutional population 16 years and over with a job. The Northeast posted the largest over-theyear decline (-0.8 percentage point), followed by the West (-0.6 point). The Midwest (64.6 percent) and
West (62.4 percent) continued to report employment-population ratios above the U.S. average of 62.3
percent in 2003, while the Northeast (61.1 percent) and South (61.3 percent) had ratios below it.
Of the nine geographic divisions, the Middle Atlantic, New England, and Pacific registered the largest
decreases in their employment-population ratios from 2002 (-0.8 percentage point each). The next largest
decrease was in the West North Central division (-0.5 percentage point). The other five divisions had
smaller annual average declines. The West North Central division, which in recent years has had high levels
of agricultural employment and part-time workers, again recorded the highest employment-population ratio
(68.2 percent). The East South Central division continued to have the lowest proportion of employed
persons (59.1 percent).
State Employment-Population Ratios
In 2003, 29 states posted declines in their proportion of employed persons from 2002, 18 states
reported increases, and 3 states and the District of Columbia had no change. The largest employmentpopulation ratio drop from 2002 was recorded in Iowa (-2.9 percentage points). Arkansas reported the
second largest decrease (-1.7 points). Ten additional states had declines of at least 1.0 percentage point,
and 10 others had decreases of one-half point or more. Four states reported increases in employmentpopulation ratios of more than a full percentage point for the year: Rhode Island (+1.4 points), Alabama and
Wyoming (+1.2 points each), and Georgia (+1.1 points). Another seven states posted increases of at least
0.5 percentage point from 2002. (See table 2 and chart 3.)
West Virginia continued to have the lowest employment-population ratio among all states in 2003, 51.3
percent, a decline of 1.3 percentage points from the previous year. Louisiana had the next lowest ratio, 56.9
percent. Overall, 8 of the 10 states with employment-population ratios below 60 percent were located in the
South. Minnesota continued to report the highest proportion of employed persons, 71.3 percent, despite a
decline of 1.1 percentage points from 2002. Two other Midwestern states—Nebraska and South Dakota—
registered the next highest ratios, 71.1 percent each, and were the only other states with ratios over 70.0
percent. Thirty states recorded employment-population ratios higher than the U.S. figure of 62.3 percent,
while 20 states and the District of Columbia posted lower ratios. All states in the New England and West
North Central divisions again had employment-population ratios above that of the Nation, while all states in
the Middle Atlantic and East South Central divisions continued to have ratios below it.
3
NOTE: All estimates presented in this release, except those for Puerto Rico, were derived from the
Current Population Survey, a sample survey conducted monthly for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the
U.S. Census Bureau. A description of the survey and information about the reliability of the state estimates appear in Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment, 2002, Bulletin 2564, available
on the Internet at http://stats.bls.gov/opub/gp/laugp.htm. Annual averages for regions, divisions, states, and
the District of Columbia, shown in tables 1 and 2, reflect updated Census 2000-based population controls.
Data for Puerto Rico are not included in the U.S. totals.
The length of the annual series varies by state and ranges from 28 to 34 years. The region and division
annual series begin in 1976.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice
phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,
2002-03 annual averages
(Numbers in thousands)
Population
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Region, division, and state
2002
United States 2 ............... 217,570
2002
2003
Unemployment
rate
2002
Error range of
rate, 2003 1
2003
2002
2003
2002
2003
2003
221,168
144,863
146,510
136,485
137,736
8,378
8,774
5.8
6.0
5.9
-
6.1
Northeast ............................
New England ...................
Connecticut ...................
Maine ............................
Massachusetts ..............
New Hampshire ............
Rhode Island .................
Vermont ........................
41,960
11,007
2,651
1,025
5,018
990
835
489
42,264
11,092
2,680
1,039
5,028
1,005
844
494
27,531
7,548
1,792
680
3,467
706
553
349
27,415
7,554
1,803
693
3,416
719
573
351
25,984
7,182
1,714
650
3,283
673
525
336
25,815
7,145
1,704
658
3,217
688
543
335
1,547
366
78
30
184
33
28
13
1,599
409
99
35
198
31
30
16
5.6
4.8
4.3
4.4
5.3
4.7
5.1
3.7
5.8
5.4
5.5
5.1
5.8
4.3
5.3
4.6
5.6
5.1
5.0
4.6
5.3
3.9
4.8
4.2
-
6.0
5.7
6.0
5.6
6.3
4.7
5.8
5.0
Middle Atlantic .................
New Jersey ...................
New York ......................
Pennsylvania ................
30,953
6,563
14,789
9,601
31,173
6,619
14,891
9,663
19,984
4,353
9,345
6,286
19,860
4,375
9,315
6,170
18,803
4,099
8,773
5,930
18,671
4,118
8,726
5,826
1,181
254
572
356
1,190
257
589
344
5.9
5.8
6.1
5.7
6.0
5.9
6.3
5.6
5.8
5.5
6.0
5.2
-
6.2
6.3
6.6
6.0
Midwest ...............................
East North Central ...........
Illinois ............................
Indiana ..........................
Michigan .......................
Ohio ..............................
Wisconsin .....................
49,563
34,723
9,510
4,648
7,650
8,729
4,186
49,929
34,963
9,583
4,679
7,706
8,771
4,224
34,099
23,411
6,369
3,170
5,001
5,847
3,025
34,291
23,553
6,330
3,188
5,042
5,915
3,078
32,222
22,025
5,955
3,007
4,691
5,515
2,858
32,267
22,063
5,908
3,024
4,674
5,552
2,905
1,878
1,386
414
163
310
332
167
2,024
1,491
422
163
368
363
174
5.5
5.9
6.5
5.1
6.2
5.7
5.5
5.9
6.3
6.7
5.1
7.3
6.1
5.6
5.7
6.1
6.3
4.6
6.8
5.7
5.0
-
6.1
6.5
7.1
5.6
7.8
6.5
6.2
West North Central ..........
Iowa ..............................
Kansas ..........................
Minnesota .....................
Missouri ........................
Nebraska ......................
North Dakota .................
South Dakota ................
14,841
2,271
2,035
3,851
4,318
1,305
489
571
14,966
2,286
2,049
3,896
4,352
1,318
490
576
10,689
1,663
1,410
2,915
2,982
956
344
419
10,737
1,612
1,434
2,923
3,021
976
346
425
10,196
1,596
1,338
2,787
2,818
921
330
406
10,204
1,540
1,357
2,778
2,850
937
333
410
492
67
72
128
164
34
14
13
533
72
77
145
170
39
14
15
4.6
4.0
5.1
4.4
5.5
3.6
4.0
3.1
5.0
4.5
5.4
5.0
5.6
4.0
4.0
3.6
4.7
4.0
4.9
4.5
5.1
3.5
3.5
3.2
-
5.3
5.0
5.9
5.5
6.1
4.5
4.5
4.0
South ..................................
South Atlantic ...................
Delaware .......................
District of Columbia .......
Florida ...........................
Georgia .........................
Maryland .......................
North Carolina ...............
South Carolina ..............
Virginia ..........................
West Virginia .................
77,583
40,706
617
458
12,943
6,318
4,124
6,254
3,105
5,451
1,435
78,692
41,345
625
454
13,211
6,431
4,181
6,328
3,142
5,532
1,442
50,551
26,642
420
303
8,095
4,280
2,897
4,166
1,944
3,733
804
51,228
26,995
417
302
8,164
4,414
2,904
4,230
2,003
3,773
787
47,711
25,218
402
284
7,653
4,060
2,771
3,885
1,828
3,581
755
48,277
25,586
399
281
7,744
4,207
2,773
3,957
1,866
3,620
739
2,840
1,424
18
19
443
220
126
281
116
152
49
2,951
1,409
18
21
420
207
131
273
136
154
48
5.6
5.3
4.2
6.4
5.5
5.1
4.4
6.7
6.0
4.1
6.1
5.8
5.2
4.4
7.0
5.1
4.7
4.5
6.5
6.8
4.1
6.1
5.6
5.0
3.9
6.3
4.8
4.2
4.0
6.0
6.2
3.6
5.5
-
6.0
5.4
4.9
7.7
5.4
5.2
5.0
7.0
7.4
4.6
6.7
East South Central ...........
Alabama ........................
Kentucky .......................
Mississippi ....................
Tennessee ....................
13,126
3,419
3,129
2,126
4,451
13,235
3,442
3,153
2,138
4,501
8,248
2,095
1,932
1,292
2,928
8,325
2,147
1,956
1,312
2,909
7,778
1,971
1,824
1,204
2,779
7,828
2,023
1,836
1,229
2,740
470
124
108
88
150
497
125
120
83
169
5.7
5.9
5.6
6.8
5.1
6.0
5.8
6.2
6.3
5.8
5.7
5.2
5.6
5.6
5.2
-
6.3
6.4
6.8
7.0
6.4
West South Central ..........
Arkansas .......................
Louisiana ......................
Oklahoma .....................
Texas ............................
23,752
2,054
3,324
2,622
15,753
24,112
2,071
3,348
2,646
16,047
15,661
1,281
1,998
1,695
10,686
15,908
1,265
2,037
1,696
10,910
14,715
1,212
1,876
1,618
10,009
14,863
1,186
1,904
1,600
10,173
946
70
123
76
677
1,045
78
134
96
738
6.0
5.4
6.1
4.5
6.3
6.6
6.2
6.6
5.7
6.8
6.3
5.5
5.9
5.0
6.4
-
6.9
6.9
7.3
6.4
7.2
West ....................................
Mountain ..........................
Arizona ..........................
Colorado .......................
Idaho .............................
Montana ........................
Nevada .........................
New Mexico ..................
Utah ..............................
Wyoming .......................
48,903
14,137
4,027
3,393
991
705
1,626
1,378
1,634
383
49,792
14,433
4,131
3,440
1,013
714
1,686
1,401
1,660
387
32,948
9,693
2,667
2,437
686
464
1,129
875
1,165
270
33,245
9,837
2,690
2,478
693
475
1,141
897
1,184
278
30,813
9,135
2,503
2,298
646
442
1,066
828
1,094
259
31,070
9,281
2,539
2,328
655
452
1,082
840
1,118
266
2,135
558
165
140
40
21
62
48
71
11
2,176
556
151
150
37
22
59
57
67
12
6.5
5.8
6.2
5.7
5.8
4.6
5.5
5.4
6.1
4.2
6.5
5.7
5.6
6.0
5.4
4.7
5.2
6.4
5.6
4.4
6.3
5.4
5.0
5.5
4.8
4.1
4.7
5.7
5.0
3.9
-
6.7
6.0
6.2
6.5
6.0
5.3
5.7
7.1
6.2
4.9
Pacific ..............................
Alaska ...........................
California .......................
Hawaii ...........................
Oregon ..........................
Washington ...................
34,766
450
26,040
927
2,726
4,624
35,359
459
26,490
944
2,770
4,697
23,256
324
17,376
606
1,840
3,109
23,409
332
17,460
618
1,859
3,140
21,678
299
16,215
581
1,701
2,883
21,789
305
16,283
592
1,707
2,903
1,577
25
1,161
26
139
227
1,620
27
1,177
27
152
237
6.8
7.7
6.7
4.2
7.5
7.3
6.9
8.0
6.7
4.3
8.2
7.5
6.6
7.3
6.4
3.8
7.5
6.8
-
7.2
8.7
7.0
4.8
8.9
8.2
Puerto Rico 3 .......................
2,934
2,980
1,356
1,393
1,190
1,226
166
167
12.3
12.0
1
2
Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level.
Because of separate processing and weighting procedures, totals for the United
States differ from the results obtained by aggregating data for regions, divisions, or
states.
3 The source of these data is the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human
(4)
Resources.
4 Not available.
NOTE: Region and division data are derived from summing the component states.
Sub-national data except for Puerto Rico incorporate updated Census 2000-based
population controls. Historical data except for Puerto Rico have been revised.
Table 2. Employment-population ratio of persons 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,
2002-03 annual averages
(Percent)
Employment-population ratio
Region, division, and state
2002
2003
Over-the-year
change
Error range of
employment-population ratio,
2003 1
United States ...........................................................
62.7
62.3
-.4
62.1
-
62.5
Northeast .......................................................................
New England ..............................................................
Connecticut .............................................................
Maine .......................................................................
Massachusetts ........................................................
New Hampshire .......................................................
Rhode Island ...........................................................
Vermont ...................................................................
61.9
65.2
64.7
63.5
65.4
68.0
62.9
68.6
61.1
64.4
63.6
63.3
64.0
68.5
64.3
67.7
-.8
-.8
-1.1
-.2
-1.4
.5
1.4
-.9
60.7
63.7
62.1
61.9
62.7
67.2
63.2
66.4
-
61.5
65.1
65.1
64.7
65.3
69.8
65.4
69.0
Middle Atlantic ............................................................
New Jersey ..............................................................
New York .................................................................
Pennsylvania ...........................................................
60.7
62.5
59.3
61.8
59.9
62.2
58.6
60.3
-.8
-.3
-.7
-1.5
59.4
61.2
57.8
59.4
-
60.4
63.2
59.4
61.2
Midwest .........................................................................
East North Central ......................................................
Illinois ......................................................................
Indiana .....................................................................
Michigan ..................................................................
Ohio .........................................................................
Wisconsin ................................................................
65.0
63.4
62.6
64.7
61.3
63.2
68.3
64.6
63.1
61.6
64.6
60.7
63.3
68.8
-.4
-.3
-1.0
-.1
-.6
.1
.5
64.1
62.5
60.6
63.2
59.5
62.0
67.3
-
65.1
63.7
62.6
66.0
61.9
64.6
70.3
West North Central .....................................................
Iowa .........................................................................
Kansas ....................................................................
Minnesota ................................................................
Missouri ...................................................................
Nebraska .................................................................
North Dakota ...........................................................
South Dakota ...........................................................
68.7
70.3
65.8
72.4
65.2
70.6
67.5
71.1
68.2
67.4
66.2
71.3
65.5
71.1
67.9
71.1
-.5
-2.9
.4
-1.1
.3
.5
.4
.0
67.5
66.1
64.5
69.8
63.7
69.7
66.0
69.4
-
68.9
68.7
67.9
72.8
67.3
72.5
69.8
72.8
South .............................................................................
South Atlantic .............................................................
Delaware .................................................................
District of Columbia .................................................
Florida .....................................................................
Georgia ....................................................................
Maryland ..................................................................
North Carolina .........................................................
South Carolina .........................................................
Virginia ....................................................................
West Virginia ...........................................................
61.5
62.0
65.1
61.9
59.1
64.3
67.2
62.1
58.9
65.7
52.6
61.3
61.9
63.8
61.9
58.6
65.4
66.3
62.5
59.4
65.4
51.3
-.2
-.1
-1.3
.0
-.5
1.1
-.9
.4
.5
-.3
-1.3
60.9
61.4
62.3
60.4
57.6
64.0
64.9
61.1
58.0
63.6
49.6
-
61.7
62.4
65.3
63.4
59.6
66.8
67.7
63.9
60.8
67.2
53.0
East South Central .....................................................
Alabama ..................................................................
Kentucky ..................................................................
Mississippi ...............................................................
Tennessee ...............................................................
59.3
57.6
58.3
56.6
62.4
59.1
58.8
58.2
57.5
60.9
-.2
1.2
-.1
.9
-1.5
58.2
57.1
56.3
55.7
59.2
-
60.0
60.5
60.1
59.3
62.6
West South Central ....................................................
Arkansas .................................................................
Louisiana .................................................................
Oklahoma ................................................................
Texas .......................................................................
62.0
59.0
56.4
61.7
63.5
61.6
57.3
56.9
60.5
63.4
-.4
-1.7
.5
-1.2
-.1
60.8
55.8
55.1
58.9
62.4
-
62.4
58.8
58.7
62.1
64.4
West ..............................................................................
Mountain .....................................................................
Arizona ....................................................................
Colorado ..................................................................
Idaho .......................................................................
Montana ..................................................................
Nevada ....................................................................
New Mexico .............................................................
Utah .........................................................................
Wyoming .................................................................
63.0
64.6
62.2
67.7
65.2
62.7
65.6
60.0
66.9
67.6
62.4
64.3
61.5
67.7
64.6
63.3
64.2
59.9
67.3
68.8
-.6
-.3
-.7
.0
-.6
.6
-1.4
-.1
.4
1.2
62.0
63.6
59.9
66.0
62.8
61.4
62.8
58.1
65.5
67.2
-
62.8
65.0
63.1
69.4
66.4
65.2
65.6
61.7
69.1
70.4
Pacific .........................................................................
Alaska ......................................................................
California .................................................................
Hawaii ......................................................................
Oregon ....................................................................
Washington .............................................................
62.4
66.4
62.3
62.7
62.4
62.3
61.6
66.5
61.5
62.7
61.6
61.8
-.8
.1
-.8
.0
-.8
-.5
61.1
64.1
60.9
61.4
60.2
60.4
-
62.1
68.9
62.1
64.0
63.0
63.2
Puerto Rico 2 .................................................................
40.6
41.1
.5
1
2
Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level.
The source of these data is the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and
Human Resources.
3 Not available.
(3)
NOTE: Region and division data are derived from summing the component
states. Sub-national data except for Puerto Rico incorporate updated Census
2000-based population controls. Historical data except for Puerto Rico have
been revised.