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