Which States Have Seen The Highest Increases in Unemployment Since December 2007?



Unemployment Stats 2007 - 2012 - InfographicThe BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) recently updated their state unemployment rate database up to December of 2012.

Since the "Great Recession" officially started in December of 2007, I thought that we would take a look at the numbers on a state by state basis and compare the December of 2007 numbers to the December of 2012 numbers:

Alabama

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.90%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.10%
Difference: 3.2%

Alaska

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 6.20%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.60%
Difference: 0.4%

Arizona

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.30%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.90%
Difference: 3.6%

Arkansas

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.00%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.10%
Difference: 2.1%

California

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.80%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 9.80%
Difference: 4%

Colorado

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.30%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.60%
Difference: 3.3%

Connecticut

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.90%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.60%
Difference: 3.7%

Delaware

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.80%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.90%
Difference: 3.1%

District of Columbia

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.50%
Difference: 3%

Florida

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.70%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.00%
Difference: 3.3%

Georgia

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.10%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.60%
Difference: 3.5%

Hawaii

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.00%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.20%
Difference: 2.2%

Idaho

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.60%
Difference: 3.1%

Illinois

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.70%
Difference: 3.2%

Indiana

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.60%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.20%
Difference: 3.6%

Iowa

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.90%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 4.90%
Difference: 1%

Kansas

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.00%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.40%
Difference: 1.4%

Kentucky

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.10%
Difference: 2.6%

Louisiana

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.80%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Difference: 1.7%

Maine

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.70%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.30%
Difference: 2.6%

Maryland

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.60%
Difference: 3.1%

Massachusetts

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.40%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.70%
Difference: 2.3%

Michigan

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 7.10%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.90%
Difference: 1.8%

Minnesota

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.70%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Difference: 0.8%

Mississippi

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 6.10%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.60%
Difference: 2.5%

Missouri

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.30%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.70%
Difference: 1.4%

Montana

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.90%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.70%
Difference: 1.8%

Nebraska

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 2.90%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 3.70%
Difference: 0.8%

Nevada

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.20%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 10.20%
Difference: 5%

New Hampshire

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.40%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.70%
Difference: 2.3%

New Jersey

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 9.60%
Difference: 5.1%

New Mexico

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.60%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.40%
Difference: 2.8%

New York

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.70%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.20%
Difference: 3.5%

North Carolina

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.90%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 9.20%
Difference: 4.3%

North Dakota

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.00%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 3.20%
Difference: 0.2%

Ohio

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.60%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.70%
Difference: 1.1%

Oklahoma

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.60%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.10%
Difference: 1.5%

Oregon

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.20%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.40%
Difference: 3.2%

Pennsylvania

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.90%
Difference: 3.4%

Puerto Rico

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 11.10%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 14.00%
Difference: 2.9%

Rhode Island

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 6.00%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 10.20%
Difference: 4.2%

South Carolina

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.60%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 8.40%
Difference: 2.8%

South Dakota

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 2.80%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 4.40%
Difference: 1.6%

Tennessee

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.60%
Difference: 2.1%

Texas

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.40%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.10%
Difference: 1.7%

Utah

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.10%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.20%
Difference: 2.1%

Vermont

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.00%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.10%
Difference: 1.1%

Virginia

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 3.20%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Difference: 2.3%

Washington

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.60%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.60%
Difference: 3%

West Virginia

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.00%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.50%
Difference: 3.5%

Wisconsin

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 4.50%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 6.60%
Difference: 2.1%

Wyoming

Dec/2007 Unemployment Rate: 2.80%
Dec/2012 Unemployment Rate: 4.90%
Difference: 2.1%

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Now, let's look at the states with the highest and lowest unemployment rates in December of 2007:

Highest State Unemployment Rates in Dec/2007:

Puerto Rico, 11.10%
Michigan, 7.10%
Alaska, 6.20%
Mississippi, 6.10%
Rhode Island, 6.00%
California, 5.80%
Ohio, 5.60%
South Carolina, 5.60%
District of Columbia, 5.50%
Illinois, 5.50%

Lowest State Unemployment Rates in Dec/2007:

South Dakota, 2.80%
Wyoming, 2.80%
Nebraska, 2.90%
Hawaii, 3.00%
North Dakota, 3.00%
Utah, 3.10%
Virginia, 3.20%
New Hampshire, 3.40%
Idaho, 3.50%
Maryland, 3.50%

Now, the 2012 numbers:

Highest State Unemployment Rates in Dec/2012:

Puerto Rico, 14.00%
Nevada, 10.20%
Rhode Island, 10.20%
California, 9.80%
New Jersey, 9.60%
North Carolina, 9.20%
Michigan, 8.90%
Illinois, 8.70%
Connecticut, 8.60%
Georgia, 8.60%

Lowest State Unemployment Rates in Dec/2012:

North Dakota, 3.20%
Nebraska, 3.70%
South Dakota, 4.40%
Iowa, 4.90%
Wyoming, 4.90%
Oklahoma, 5.10%
Vermont, 5.10%
Hawaii, 5.20%
Utah, 5.20%
Kansas, 5.40%

Source: BLS.gov

Source: Historical State Unemployment Rates

Filed under: General Knowledge

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