The Current State of Unemployment

What does the unemployment situation look like now? This article examines the U.S. unemployment rate change by state, from February 2009 to February 2010.

Between February 2009 and February 2010, there was an increase of unemployment rates in almost every state in America. The exceptions were Oregon, North Dakota and Vermont, where unemployment decreased by 0.1% from February 2009 to 2010.

In every other state of the Union, unemployment rates increased between February 2009 and February 2010. States reporting the largest increases included the following:

• In California, unemployment rates increased by 2.3% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Nevada, unemployment rates increased 3.1% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Idaho, unemployment rates went up 2.6% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Wyoming, unemployment rates increased 2.7% between 2009 and 2010;
• Unemployment rates in New Mexico increased by 2.6% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Illinois, the unemployment rate increased 2.7% between 2009 and 2010;
• Mississippi unemployment rates increased 2.8% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Alabama, unemployment rates increased 2.4% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Florida, unemployment rates shot up 3% between 2009 and 2010;
• Michigan’s unemployment rate went up 2.1% between 2009 and 2010;
• West Virginia’s unemployment rates went up 3.1% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Maryland, unemployment rates went up 3.1% between 2009 and 2010;
• Rhode Island’s unemployment rates went up 2.8% between 2009 and 2010; and
• Massachusetts’ unemployment rates rose 2.1% between 2009 and 2010.

Average rises in unemployment rates occurred in the following states:

• In Washington, unemployment rates rose 1.2% between 2009 and 2010;
• Alaska’s unemployment rate rose 1.2% between 2009 and 2010;
• Arizona’s unemployment rate increased by 1.2% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Utah, unemployment rates rose 1% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Montana, the rate of unemployment rose 1.2% between 2009 and 2010;
• Oklahoma’s unemployment rate rose 1.2% between 2009 and 2010;
• The unemployment rate in Texas rose 1.4% between 2009 and 2010;
• Louisiana’s unemployment rate rose 1.4% between 2009 and 2010;
• The unemployment rate in Iowa rose 1.4% between 2009 and 2010;
• Wisconsin’s unemployment rate increased 1% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Kentucky, the unemployment rate increased by 1.3% between 2009 and 2010;
• Tennessee’s unemployment rate rose by 1.1% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Georgia, the unemployment rate rose by 1.8% between 2009 and 2010;
• In South Carolina, unemployment rates increased by 1.8% between 2009 and 2010;
• Ohio’s unemployment rate rose by 1.8% between 2009 and 2010;
• In North Carolina, unemployment rates increased 1.4% between 2009 and 2010;
• Virginia’s unemployment rate increased 1.1% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Pennsylvania, the unemployment rate rose 1.7% between 2009 and 2010;
• New York’s unemployment rate increased 1.3% between 2009 and 2010;
• New Hampshire’s unemployment rate rose 1.6% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Connecticut, unemployment rates increased 1.7% between 2009 and 2010;
• New Jersey’s unemployment rate rose 1.8% between 2009 and 2010; and
• The District of Columbia experienced a 1.3% rise in unemployment between 2009 and 2010.

The following states in America experienced a rise in unemployment rates of less than 1% between 2009 and 2010:

• Hawaii’s unemployment rate increased 0.6% between 2009 and 2010;
• Colorado’s unemployment rate rose 0.4% between 2009 and 2010;
• South Dakota experienced a rise in unemployment rates of 0.2% between 2009 and 2010;
• Nebraska’s unemployment rate increased 0.5% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Kansas, unemployment rates rose 0.5% between 2009 and 2010;
• Arkansas’s unemployment rate went up 0.9% between 2009 and 2010;
• In Missouri, the unemployment rate rose 0.9% between 2009 and 2010;
• Indiana’s unemployment rate went up 0.3% between 2009 and 2010; and
• In Maine, the unemployment rate rose 0.6% between 2009 and 2010.

In 2009 and 2010, the US unemployment rate by state was as follows:

• Michigan had an overall unemployment rate of 12% in 2009 and 14.1% in 2010;
• South Carolina had an overall unemployment rate of 10.7% in 2009 and 12.5% in 2010;
• Oregon had an overall unemployment rate of 10.6% in 2009 and 10.5% in 2010;
• California had an overall unemployment rate of 10.2% in 2009 and 12.5% in 2010;
• Nevada had an overall unemployment rate of 10.1% in 2009 and 13.2% in 2010;
• Rhode Island had an overall unemployment rate of 9.9% in 2009 and 12.7% in 2010;
• North Carolina had an overall unemployment rate of 9.8% in 2009 and 11.2% in 2010;
• Tennessee had an overall unemployment rate of 9.6% in 2009 and 10.7% in 2010;
• Kentucky had an overall unemployment rate of 9.6% in 2009 and 10.9% in 2010;
• Indiana had an overall unemployment rate of 9.5% in 2009 and 9.8% in 2010;
• Florida had an overall unemployment rate of 9.2% in 2009 and 12% in 2010;
• Ohio had an overall unemployment rate of 9.1% in 2009 and 10.9% in 2010;
• The District of Columbia had an overall unemployment rate of 12% in 2009;
• Georgia had an overall unemployment rate of 8.7% in 2009 and 10.5% in 2010;
• Alabama had an overall unemployment rate of 8.7% in 2009 and 11.1% in 2010;
• Illinois had an overall unemployment rate of 8.7% in 2009 and 11.4% in 2010;
• Mississippi had an overall unemployment rate of 8.6% in 2009 and 11.4% in 2010;
• Missouri had an overall unemployment rate of 8.5% in 2009 and 9.4% in 2010;
• Arizona had an overall unemployment rate of 8.3% in 2009 and 9.5% in 2010;
• Washington had an overall unemployment rate of 8.1% in 2009 and 9.5% in 2010;
• New Jersey had an overall unemployment rate of 8% in 2009 and 9.8% in 2010;
• Minnesota had an overall unemployment rate of 7.7% in 2009 and 7.3% in 2010;
• Maine had an overall unemployment rate of 7.7% in 2009 and 8.3% in 2010;
• Wisconsin had an overall unemployment rate of 7.7% in 2009 and 8.7% in 2010;
• New York had an overall unemployment rate of 7.5% in 2009 and 8.8% in 2010;
• Connecticut had an overall unemployment rate of 8.1% in 2009 and 9.5% in 2010;
• Delaware had an overall unemployment rate of 7.4% in 2009 and 9.2% in 2010;
• Massachusetts had an overall unemployment rate of 12% in 2009 in 2010;
• Colorado had an overall unemployment rate of 7.3% in 2009 and 7.7% in 2010;
• Alaska had an overall unemployment rate of 7.3% in 2009 and 8.5% in 2010;
• Pennsylvania had an overall unemployment rate of 7.2% in 2009 and 8.9% in 2010;
• Idaho had an overall unemployment rate of 6.9% in 2009 and 9.5% in 2010;
• Arkansas had an overall unemployment rate of 6.8% in 2009 and 7.7% in 2010;
• Texas had an overall unemployment rate of 6.8% in 2009 and 8.2% in 2010;
• Vermont had an overall unemployment rate of 6.7% in 2009 and 6.6% in 2010;
• Maryland had an overall unemployment rate of 6.4% in 2009 and 7.7% in 2010;
• West Virginia had an overall unemployment rate of 6.4% in 2009 and 9.5% in 2010;
• Hawaii had an overall unemployment rate of 6.3% in 2009 and 6.9% in 2010;
• Utah had an overall unemployment rate of 6.1% in 2009 and 7.1% in 2010;
• Virginia had an overall unemployment rate of 6.1% in 2009 and 7.2% in 2010;
• New Mexico had an overall unemployment rate of 6.1% in 2009 and 8.7% in 2010;
• Kansas had an overall unemployment rate of 6% in 2009 and 6.5% in 2010;
• Louisiana had an overall unemployment rate of 5.9% in 2009 and 7.7% in 2010;
• Montana had an overall unemployment rate of 5.7% in 2009 and 6.9% in 2010;
• Oklahoma had an overall unemployment rate of 5.5% in 2009 and 6.7% in 2010;
• New Hampshire had an overall unemployment rate of 5.5% in 2009 and 7.1% in 2010;
• Iowa had an overall unemployment rate of 5.3% in 2009 and 6.7% in 2010;
• Wyoming had an overall unemployment rate of 4.8% in 2009 and 7.5% in 2010;
• South Dakota had an overall unemployment rate of 4.6% in 2009 and 4.6% in 2010;
• Nebraska had an overall unemployment rate of 4.3% in 2009 and 4.8% in 2010; and
• North Dakota had an overall unemployment rate of 4.2% in 2009 and 4.1% in 2010.