Hawaii no longer has the nation’s highest unemployment rate

HNN: … The state’s unemployment rate now stands at 7.7% ― down from 8% in May.

That means Hawaii no longer has the nation’s highest unemployment rate.

Connecticut and New Mexico now hold that distinction, with unemployment rates of 7.9%. New Mexico rounds out the top three at 7.8%.

Hawaii ties for fourth in the nation with California.

But while Hawaii’s unemployment rate is on the decline, it still remains far higher than the national average of 5.9%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Hawaii is still among 12 states with unemployment rates higher than the national average….

read … Hawaii no longer has the nation’s highest unemployment rate

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STATE EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT -- JUNE 2021

News Release from US BLS, July 16, 2021 

Unemployment rates were lower in June in 7 states and the District of Columbia,
higher in 3 states, and stable in 40 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. Forty-nine states and the District had jobless rate decreases from
a year earlier. The national unemployment rate, 5.9 percent, was little changed
over the month but was 5.2 percentage points lower than in June 2020.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 25 states, decreased in 1 state, and was
essentially unchanged in 24 states and the District of Columbia in June 2021. 
Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in all states and the District.

This news release presents statistics from two monthly programs. The civilian labor
force and unemployment data are modeled based largely on a survey of households.  These data pertain to individuals by where they reside. The employment data are from an establishment survey that measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry. These data pertain to jobs on payrolls defined by where the establishments are located. For more information about the concepts and statistical methodologies used by these two programs, see the Technical Note.

Unemployment

Connecticut and New Mexico had the highest unemployment rates in June, 7.9 percent each, closely followed by Nevada, 7.8 percent. Nebraska and Utah had the lowest jobless rates, 2.5 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively. In total, 28 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 5.9 percent, 12 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 10 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See tables A and 1.)

In June, Hawaii had the largest over-the-month unemployment rate decrease 
(-0.3 percentage point), closely followed by Connecticut, North Carolina, 
Oklahoma, Oregon, and West Virginia (-0.2 point each). The rate in the District
of Columbia also declined over the month (-0.2 percentage point). Kansas had the
largest rate increase (+0.2 percentage point). Forty states had jobless rates that
were not notably different from those of a month earlier, though some had changes
that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See table B.)

The largest unemployment rate decrease from June 2020 occurred in Massachusetts (-9.9 percentage points). The next largest over-the-year jobless rate decreases were in Michigan (-9.1 percentage points) and New Jersey (-9.0 points), with another 15 states experiencing declines of 5.0 points or more. (See table C.) 

read … Full Report

US DoL July 15, 2021: Weekly Unemployment Claims  
TGI: Kaua‘i still has the highest unemployment rate among the counties, 11.2% in June