TEXT

Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,   

                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                    
Technical information:                        USDL 93-74                                                                            
                        (202) 606-6392                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                    
Media contact:                606-5902        FOR RELEASE:  10:00 A.M.  EST                                                         
                                              WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1993                                                              
                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                    
                  STATE AND REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT IN 1992                                                                           
                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                    
     Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia had higher annual                                                               
average unemployment rates in 1992 than in 1991, according to the Bureau of                                                         
Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.  Ten states had                                                                   
unemployment rate increases of 1 percentage point or more in 1992, compared                                                         
with 26 states and the District of Columbia in 1991.  Jobless rates                                                                 
declined in 15 states in 1992 and were unchanged in 4 states.  Nationally                                                           
in 1992, the unemployment rate averaged 7.4 percent, up from 6.7 percent in                                                         
1991 and 5.5 percent in 1990.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                    
     Unemployment rates rose in three of the four geographic regions of the                                                         
country from 1991 to 1992 and was virtually unchanged in one, with the                                                              
largest increases taking place in the West and Northeast.  The rate jumped                                                          
from 6.7 to 8.1 percent in the West, while it rose from 7.2 percent to the                                                          
same level (8.1 percent) in the Northeast.  The rate was up in the South                                                            
from 6.6 to 7.2 percent over the year.  The Midwest's rate was only 6.5                                                             
percent, virtually unchanged from 1991 and well below the national average.                                                         
                                                                                                                                    
     Among the nine divisions, the sharpest unemployment rate increases                                                             
occurred in the Pacific and Middle Atlantic states--both of which were hard                                                         
hit for the second consecutive year.  In the Pacific states, the jobless                                                            
rate jumped from 7.1 to 8.6 percent--the highest of the nine divisions and                                                          
more than a full point above the national average.  California dominated                                                            
this advance with a 1.6 percentage point increase in the rate, but all                                                              
other states in the division also were heavily affected.  The rate in the                                                           
Middle Atlantic states rose from 7.0 to 8.1 percent, as New Jersey and New                                                          
York had especially large increases.  In New England, the jobless rate held                                                         
steady at 8.0 percent between 1991 and 1992, following a very sharp rise                                                            
from a low of 3.1 percent in 1988.  Jobless rates increased or decreased                                                            
moderately in the other divisions.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                    
     Seven states had annual unemployment rates of 8.5 percent or higher in                                                         
1992.  West Virginia's rate, 11.3 percent, continued to be the highest of                                                           
the 50 states.  The next highest rates were in Alaska and California, both                                                          
9.1 percent, followed by Rhode Island and Michigan.  Nebraska and South                                                             
Dakota had the lowest jobless rates, 3.0 and 3.1 percent, respectively.                                                             
Five other states had rates below 5.0 percent in 1992.  (See map.)                                                                  
                                                                                                                                    
                                   - 2 -                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                    
     All estimates presented in this release, except those for Puerto Rico,                                                         
were derived from the Current Population Survey, a sample survey of about                                                           
60,000 households conducted monthly for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by                                                           
the Bureau of the Census.  A description of the survey and information                                                              
about the reliability of the state estimates appear in Geographic Profile                                                           
of Employment and Unemployment, 1991, Bulletin 2410.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                    
     Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired                                                         
individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-606-STAT, TDD phone:                                                                    
202-606-5897, TDD Message Referral Phone Number: 1-800-326-2577.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                    
 Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,   
 1991-92 annual averages                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                    
 (Numbers in thousands)                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                    
 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
                                    |               |               |               |               |               |               
                                    |               |Civilian labor |               |               | Unemployment  |               
                                    |  Population   |     force     |   Employed    |  Unemployed   |     rate      | Error range   
     Region, division, and state    |               |               |               |               |               |  of rate,     
                                    |               |               |               |               |               |   19921/      
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
                                    | 1991  | 1992  | 1991  | 1992  | 1991  | 1992  | 1991  | 1992  | 1991  | 1992  |               
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
          United States2/...........|189,765|191,576|125,303|126,982|116,877|117,598|  8,426|  9,384|   6.7 |   7.4 | 7.3  -   7.5  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
 Northeast..........................| 39,409| 39,490| 25,566| 25,589| 23,716| 23,518|  1,850|  2,071|   7.2 |   8.1 | 7.9  -   8.3  
   New England......................| 10,168| 10,211|  7,033|  7,062|  6,474|  6,500|    560|    562|   8.0 |   8.0 | 7.7  -   8.3  
     Connecticut....................|  2,509|  2,508|  1,801|  1,791|  1,679|  1,656|    121|    135|   6.7 |   7.5 | 6.7  -   8.3  
     Maine..........................|    953|    966|    647|    662|    598|    615|     49|     47|   7.5 |   7.1 | 6.4  -   7.8  
     Massachusetts..................|  4,624|  4,630|  3,127|  3,126|  2,847|  2,862|    280|    265|   9.0 |   8.5 | 8.1  -   8.9  
     New Hampshire..................|    865|    880|    634|    633|    589|    586|     46|     47|   7.2 |   7.5 | 6.6  -   8.2  
     Rhode Island...................|    773|    775|    513|    527|    469|    481|     44|     47|   8.5 |   8.9 | 8.1  -   9.8  
     Vermont........................|    445|    452|    311|    322|    291|    300|     20|     21|   6.4 |   6.6 | 5.8  -   7.3  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
   Middle Atlantic..................| 29,241| 29,279| 18,533| 18,527| 17,243| 17,018|  1,290|  1,509|   7.0 |   8.1 | 7.9  -   8.4  
     New Jersey.....................|  6,026|  6,026|  4,018|  4,001|  3,752|  3,666|    266|    335|   6.6 |   8.4 | 8.0  -   8.8  
     New York.......................| 13,802| 13,809|  8,583|  8,522|  7,967|  7,798|    616|    724|   7.2 |   8.5 | 8.2  -   8.8  
     Pennsylvania...................|  9,414|  9,443|  5,933|  6,004|  5,524|  5,554|    409|    450|   6.9 |   7.5 | 7.1  -   7.9  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
 Midwest............................| 45,689| 45,895| 30,869| 31,269| 28,892| 29,228|  1,977|  2,041|   6.4 |   6.5 | 6.4  -   6.7  
   East North Central...............| 32,218| 32,367| 21,402| 21,729| 19,902| 20,146|  1,500|  1,583|   7.0 |   7.3 | 7.1  -   7.5  
     Illinois.......................|  8,917|  8,965|  6,029|  6,120|  5,598|  5,659|    431|    461|   7.1 |   7.5 | 7.1  -   7.9  
     Indiana........................|  4,266|  4,294|  2,798|  2,849|  2,632|  2,663|    166|    186|   5.9 |   6.5 | 5.8  -   7.3  
     Michigan.......................|  7,017|  7,038|  4,543|  4,610|  4,125|  4,205|    418|    405|   9.2 |   8.8 | 8.4  -   9.2  
     Ohio...........................|  8,311|  8,341|  5,440|  5,489|  5,094|  5,093|    346|    396|   6.4 |   7.2 | 6.8  -   7.6  
     Wisconsin......................|  3,707|  3,729|  2,592|  2,661|  2,453|  2,526|    140|    135|   5.4 |   5.1 | 4.4  -   5.7  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
   West North Central...............| 13,471| 13,528|  9,467|  9,540|  8,990|  9,082|    477|    458|   5.0 |   4.8 | 4.5  -   5.1  
     Iowa...........................|  2,163|  2,170|  1,516|  1,551|  1,447|  1,479|     70|     72|   4.6 |   4.6 | 4.0  -   5.2  
     Kansas.........................|  1,867|  1,874|  1,295|  1,330|  1,238|  1,274|     57|     56|   4.4 |   4.2 | 3.7  -   4.8  
     Minnesota......................|  3,319|  3,346|  2,431|  2,431|  2,307|  2,306|    124|    125|   5.1 |   5.1 | 4.5  -   5.8  
     Missouri.......................|  3,933|  3,947|  2,689|  2,696|  2,511|  2,543|    177|    153|   6.6 |   5.7 | 5.0  -   6.4  
     Nebraska.......................|  1,202|  1,206|    857|    856|    834|    831|     23|     25|   2.7 |   3.0 | 2.5  -   3.4  
     North Dakota...................|    468|    464|    317|    314|    304|    299|     13|     15|   4.1 |   4.9 | 4.1  -   5.4  
     South Dakota...................|    519|    520|    361|    361|    349|    350|     12|     11|   3.4 |   3.1 | 2.6  -   3.5  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
 South..............................| 65,061| 65,808| 42,434| 43,098| 39,618| 40,011|  2,816|  3,088|   6.6 |   7.2 | 7.0  -   7.3  
   South Atlantic...................| 33,559| 34,066| 22,075| 22,440| 20,669| 20,847|  1,406|  1,592|   6.4 |   7.1 | 6.9  -   7.3  
     Delaware.......................|    527|    537|    364|    372|    342|    352|     23|     20|   6.2 |   5.3 | 4.7  -   6.1  
     District of Columbia...........|    429|    416|    282|    276|    260|    253|     22|     23|   7.7 |   8.4 | 7.4  -   9.2  
     Florida........................| 10,355| 10,594|  6,431|  6,553|  5,961|  6,017|    471|    536|   7.3 |   8.2 | 7.8  -   8.6  
     Georgia........................|  4,827|  4,894|  3,166|  3,232|  3,008|  3,008|    158|    224|   5.0 |   6.9 | 6.2  -   7.7  
     Maryland.......................|  3,644|  3,690|  2,554|  2,623|  2,403|  2,450|    151|    173|   5.9 |   6.6 | 5.9  -   7.3  
     North Carolina.................|  5,062|  5,127|  3,445|  3,487|  3,246|  3,281|    198|    207|   5.8 |   5.9 | 5.6  -   6.3  
     South Carolina.................|  2,632|  2,667|  1,744|  1,772|  1,635|  1,662|    108|    111|   6.2 |   6.2 | 5.6  -   7.0  
     Virginia.......................|  4,669|  4,734|  3,306|  3,359|  3,113|  3,145|    193|    213|   5.8 |   6.4 | 5.7  -   7.0  
     West Virginia..................|  1,414|  1,406|    783|    766|    701|    679|     82|     86|  10.5 |  11.3 |10.2  -  12.2  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
   East South Central...............| 11,640| 11,710|  7,236|  7,304|  6,710|  6,791|    526|    513|   7.3 |   7.0 | 6.6  -   7.4  
     Alabama........................|  3,104|  3,122|  1,894|  1,937|  1,758|  1,796|    135|    142|   7.2 |   7.3 | 6.5  -   8.1  
     Kentucky.......................|  2,811|  2,820|  1,744|  1,744|  1,615|  1,624|    128|    120|   7.4 |   6.9 | 6.1  -   7.7  
     Mississippi....................|  1,910|  1,919|  1,183|  1,182|  1,081|  1,086|    102|     96|   8.6 |   8.1 | 7.3  -   8.9  
     Tennessee......................|  3,815|  3,849|  2,416|  2,440|  2,256|  2,285|    160|    155|   6.6 |   6.4 | 5.6  -   7.1  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
   West South Central...............| 19,863| 20,033| 13,123| 13,355| 12,239| 12,372|    884|    983|   6.7 |   7.4 | 7.1  -   7.7  
     Arkansas.......................|  1,803|  1,811|  1,118|  1,149|  1,036|  1,066|     82|     83|   7.3 |   7.2 | 6.4  -   8.0  
     Louisiana......................|  3,133|  3,125|  1,933|  1,934|  1,796|  1,778|    137|    156|   7.1 |   8.1 | 7.2  -   8.9  
     Oklahoma.......................|  2,394|  2,400|  1,517|  1,527|  1,416|  1,440|    101|     86|   6.7 |   5.7 | 5.0  -   6.3  
     Texas..........................| 12,531| 12,698|  8,555|  8,745|  7,991|  8,088|    564|    657|   6.6 |   7.5 | 7.1  -   7.9  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
 West...............................| 39,605| 40,383| 26,433| 27,025| 24,650| 24,841|  1,783|  2,184|   6.7 |   8.1 | 7.9  -   8.3  
   Mountain.........................| 10,061| 10,203|  6,775|  6,868|  6,396|  6,427|    379|    442|   5.6 |   6.4 | 6.1  -   6.7  
     Arizona........................|  2,707|  2,752|  1,704|  1,734|  1,608|  1,605|     96|    129|   5.7 |   7.4 | 6.6  -   8.2  
     Colorado.......................|  2,490|  2,506|  1,755|  1,756|  1,667|  1,652|     87|    104|   5.0 |   5.9 | 5.2  -   6.6  
     Idaho..........................|    745|    756|    504|    518|    473|    485|     31|     33|   6.1 |   6.5 | 5.6  -   7.1  
     Montana........................|    598|    600|    403|    411|    375|    384|     28|     28|   6.9 |   6.7 | 6.0  -   7.6  
     Nevada.........................|    923|    964|    649|    673|    614|    629|     36|     45|   5.5 |   6.6 | 6.0  -   7.4  
     New Mexico.....................|  1,120|  1,133|    715|    723|    665|    674|     49|     49|   6.9 |   6.8 | 6.0  -   7.5  
     Utah...........................|  1,137|  1,151|    805|    811|    765|    771|     39|     40|   4.9 |   4.9 | 4.3  -   5.6  
     Wyoming........................|    342|    341|    240|    240|    228|    227|     12|     14|   5.1 |   5.6 | 5.1  -   6.6  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
   Pacific..........................| 29,544| 30,180| 19,658| 20,157| 18,254| 18,415|  1,404|  1,742|   7.1 |   8.6 | 8.4  -   8.9  
     Alaska.........................|    356|    360|    258|    262|    236|    238|     22|     24|   8.5 |   9.1 | 8.3  -  10.0  
     California.....................| 22,426| 22,925| 14,833| 15,187| 13,714| 13,805|  1,119|  1,382|   7.5 |   9.1 | 8.8  -   9.4  
     Hawaii.........................|    817|    832|    561|    572|    546|    547|     15|     26|   2.8 |   4.5 | 3.9  -   5.2  
     Oregon.........................|  2,235|  2,274|  1,508|  1,537|  1,418|  1,422|     90|    115|   6.0 |   7.5 | 6.7  -   8.3  
     Washington.....................|  3,710|  3,789|  2,498|  2,598|  2,340|  2,403|    157|    195|   6.3 |   7.5 | 6.7  -   8.3  
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
 Puerto Rico3/......................|  2,391|  2,411|  1,102|  1,120|    926|    934|    176|    186|  16.0 |  16.7 |     (4)       
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |               
 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
                                                                                                                                    
    1/  Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence                                                                         
 level.                                                                                                                             
    2/  Because of separate processing and weighting proce-                                                                         
 dures, totals for the United States differ from the results                                                                        
 obtained by aggregating the data for regions, divisions, or                                                                        
 states.  Moreover, due to independent population adjustments,                                                                      
 data for geographic components may not add to totals for                                                                           
 larger geographic areas.                                                                                                           
    3/  The source of these data is the Employment Security                                                                         
 Agency of Puerto Rico. The population figure for 1991 has been corrected.                                                          
    4/  Not available.                                                                                                              
    NOTE:  Sub-national data for 1991-92 have not been revised                                                                      
 because updated population estimates are not yet available.