TEXT
Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,

Technical Information:  (202) 606-6392     USDL 96-147
 
Media contact:                606-5902     For release:  10:00 A.M.  EDT
                                           Wednesday, April 17, 1996
 
 
           STATE AND REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT, 1995 ANNUAL AVERAGES
 
 
   As the national unemployment rate declined from 6.1 to 5.6 percent, 42
states also recorded lower annual average jobless rates in 1995 than in the
prior year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor.  Only three states and the District of Columbia had
higher rates, while jobless rates in five states were unchanged.  Among the
census regions and divisions, rates in all four regions and in eight of the
nine divisions were down over the year.  The East South Central division
was the exception, as its rate edged up.
 
   Eight states had unemployment rate decreases of 1.0 percentage point or
more from 1994 to 1995.  Maine posted the largest decline, with its rate
dropping 1.7 percentage points to 5.7 percent.  Twelve states (Arkansas,
Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon,
South Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin) recorded their lowest annual average
rates in at least 20 years.  On the other hand, Montana and the District of
Columbia registered the largest increases in jobless rates, 0.8 and 0.7
points, respectively.  The rates in Alabama and Tennessee edged up
slightly.
 
   Unemployment rates among the states varied widely again this year.  For
the sixth straight year, Nebraska had the lowest annual rate, 2.6 percent.
South Dakota followed at 2.9 percent.  Five other states--Iowa, Minnesota,
North Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin--also had rates below 4.0 percent.  The
highest jobless rates were recorded in the District of Columbia (8.9
percent) and West Virginia (7.9 percent); three additional states--Alaska,
California, and Rhode Island--had rates of 7.0 percent or more.  (See map.)
In 1995, 34 states had unemployment rates below the national average, while
16 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates--a distribution
similar to that of 1994.
 
   Relative standings among regions in 1995 continued recent patterns.  The
Midwest had the lowest unemployment rate (4.6 percent), as it has for the
last 5 years.  For the fourth year in a row, the West had the highest rate
(6.7 percent).  The jobless rate in the Northeast continued to be slightly
above the U.S. rate, while the rate in the South was again about the same
as the national average.
 
   At the division level, the West North Central division, at 3.9 percent,
again had the lowest jobless rate by far, followed by the East North
Central (4.8 percent) and Mountain division (4.9 percent).  On the other
hand, the Pacific division again posted the highest annual jobless rate,
7.3 percent, and the Middle Atlantic division registered the second highest
rate, 6.2 percent.
 
                                   - 2 -
 
   All estimates presented in this release, except those for Puerto Rico,
were derived from the Current Population Survey, a sample survey of about
56,000 households (in 1995) 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, 1994," Bulletin 2469.
 
   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,
 1994-95 annual averages
 
 (Numbers in thousands)
 
 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                    |               |               |               |               |               |
                                    |               |Civilian labor |               |               | Unemployment  |
                                    |  Population   |     force     |   Employed    |  Unemployed   |     rate      | Error range
     Region, division, and state    |               |               |               |               |               |  of rate,
                                    |               |               |               |               |               |   19951/
                                    |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|
                                    | 1994  | 1995  | 1994  | 1995  | 1994  | 1995  | 1994  | 1995  | 1994  | 1995  |
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
          United States2/...........|196,814|198,584|131,056|132,304|123,060|124,900|  7,996|  7,404|   6.1 |   5.6 | 5.5  -   5.7
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
 Northeast..........................| 39,567| 39,580| 25,365| 25,349| 23,727| 23,834|  1,638|  1,515|   6.5 |   6.0 | 5.8  -   6.2
   New England......................| 10,210| 10,239|  6,954|  6,956|  6,543|  6,582|    411|    373|   5.9 |   5.4 | 5.2  -   5.6
     Connecticut....................|  2,525|  2,518|  1,736|  1,709|  1,639|  1,615|     97|     94|   5.6 |   5.5 | 4.8  -   6.2
     Maine..........................|    957|    961|    615|    642|    570|    605|     45|     37|   7.4 |   5.7 | 5.0  -   6.4
     Massachusetts..................|  4,666|  4,688|  3,167|  3,168|  2,977|  2,998|    190|    170|   6.0 |   5.4 | 5.1  -   5.7
     New Hampshire..................|    863|    873|    623|    633|    594|    607|     29|     25|   4.6 |   4.0 | 3.4  -   4.6
     Rhode Island...................|    755|    751|    497|    485|    462|    451|     35|     34|   7.1 |   7.0 | 6.2  -   7.8
     Vermont........................|    444|    448|    316|    320|    301|    306|     15|     14|   4.7 |   4.2 | 3.6  -   4.8
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
   Middle Atlantic..................| 29,357| 29,341| 18,412| 18,395| 17,186| 17,253|  1,226|  1,142|   6.7 |   6.2 | 6.0  -   6.4
     New Jersey.....................|  6,090|  6,109|  4,013|  4,064|  3,739|  3,803|    273|    260|   6.8 |   6.4 | 6.1  -   6.7
     New York.......................| 13,993| 13,955|  8,573|  8,493|  7,981|  7,955|    593|    538|   6.9 |   6.3 | 6.0  -   6.6
     Pennsylvania...................|  9,274|  9,277|  5,826|  5,838|  5,465|  5,495|    360|    343|   6.2 |   5.9 | 5.6  -   6.2
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
 Midwest............................| 46,211| 46,554| 31,903| 32,314| 30,279| 30,839|  1,624|  1,475|   5.1 |   4.6 | 4.5  -   4.7
   East North Central...............| 32,627| 32,846| 22,153| 22,393| 20,942| 21,308|  1,211|  1,085|   5.5 |   4.8 | 4.6  -   5.0
     Illinois.......................|  8,869|  8,909|  6,005|  6,083|  5,665|  5,770|    340|    313|   5.7 |   5.2 | 4.9  -   5.5
     Indiana........................|  4,361|  4,404|  3,048|  3,134|  2,898|  2,988|    151|    146|   4.9 |   4.7 | 4.1  -   5.3
     Michigan.......................|  7,150|  7,207|  4,761|  4,745|  4,480|  4,491|    281|    254|   5.9 |   5.3 | 5.0  -   5.6
     Ohio...........................|  8,423|  8,467|  5,541|  5,584|  5,234|  5,318|    307|    266|   5.5 |   4.8 | 4.5  -   5.1
     Wisconsin......................|  3,824|  3,859|  2,799|  2,846|  2,667|  2,741|    132|    105|   4.7 |   3.7 | 3.2  -   4.2
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
   West North Central...............| 13,584| 13,708|  9,752|  9,922|  9,339|  9,532|    413|    391|   4.2 |   3.9 | 3.7  -   4.1
     Iowa...........................|  2,141|  2,155|  1,564|  1,559|  1,507|  1,504|     57|     54|   3.7 |   3.5 | 3.0  -   4.0
     Kansas.........................|  1,878|  1,891|  1,329|  1,330|  1,259|  1,270|     70|     59|   5.3 |   4.4 | 3.8  -   5.0
     Minnesota......................|  3,401|  3,438|  2,571|  2,589|  2,468|  2,493|    103|     96|   4.0 |   3.7 | 3.2  -   4.2
     Missouri.......................|  3,969|  4,008|  2,698|  2,832|  2,567|  2,697|    132|    135|   4.9 |   4.8 | 4.2  -   5.4
     Nebraska.......................|  1,202|  1,213|    879|    897|    854|    873|     25|     24|   2.9 |   2.6 | 2.2  -   3.0
     North Dakota...................|    469|    472|    336|    334|    323|    323|     13|     11|   3.9 |   3.3 | 2.8  -   3.8
     South Dakota...................|    524|    531|    376|    382|    364|    371|     12|     11|   3.3 |   2.9 | 2.5  -   3.3
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
 South..............................| 68,519| 69,474| 45,207| 45,804| 42,542| 43,310|  2,665|  2,494|   5.9 |   5.4 | 5.3  -   5.5
   South Atlantic...................| 35,411| 35,911| 23,363| 23,616| 22,043| 22,412|  1,320|  1,204|   5.7 |   5.1 | 4.9  -   5.3
     Delaware.......................|    540|    547|    382|    381|    364|    365|     19|     17|   4.9 |   4.3 | 3.7  -   4.9
     District of Columbia...........|    445|    433|    298|    283|    274|    258|     24|     25|   8.2 |   8.9 | 8.1  -   9.7
     Florida........................| 10,857| 11,007|  6,801|  6,830|  6,354|  6,455|    446|    375|   6.6 |   5.5 | 5.2  -   5.8
     Georgia........................|  5,279|  5,397|  3,569|  3,618|  3,383|  3,441|    185|    176|   5.2 |   4.9 | 4.4  -   5.4
     Maryland.......................|  3,815|  3,849|  2,694|  2,723|  2,556|  2,584|    138|    139|   5.1 |   5.1 | 4.5  -   5.7
     North Carolina.................|  5,353|  5,446|  3,590|  3,636|  3,433|  3,479|    157|    158|   4.4 |   4.3 | 4.0  -   4.6
     South Carolina.................|  2,754|  2,789|  1,822|  1,859|  1,708|  1,765|    115|     94|   6.3 |   5.1 | 4.5  -   5.7
     Virginia.......................|  4,924|  4,989|  3,417|  3,496|  3,251|  3,338|    166|    158|   4.9 |   4.5 | 4.0  -   5.0
     West Virginia..................|  1,444|  1,454|    788|    790|    718|    728|     70|     62|   8.9 |   7.9 | 7.2  -   8.6
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
   East South Central...............| 12,100| 12,258|  7,768|  7,894|  7,338|  7,446|    430|    448|   5.5 |   5.7 | 5.4  -   6.0
     Alabama........................|  3,224|  3,257|  2,029|  2,062|  1,907|  1,933|    122|    129|   6.0 |   6.3 | 5.6  -   7.0
     Kentucky.......................|  2,924|  2,955|  1,824|  1,861|  1,726|  1,761|     98|    100|   5.4 |   5.4 | 4.8  -   6.0
     Mississippi....................|  1,973|  1,998|  1,252|  1,258|  1,169|  1,181|     83|     77|   6.6 |   6.1 | 5.4  -   6.8
     Tennessee......................|  3,979|  4,048|  2,663|  2,712|  2,536|  2,571|    127|    141|   4.8 |   5.2 | 4.6  -   5.8
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
   West South Central...............| 21,008| 21,305| 14,076| 14,294| 13,161| 13,451|    915|    843|   6.5 |   5.9 | 5.6  -   6.2
     Arkansas.......................|  1,863|  1,887|  1,206|  1,223|  1,142|  1,163|     64|     59|   5.3 |   4.9 | 4.3  -   5.5
     Louisiana......................|  3,169|  3,195|  1,939|  1,956|  1,783|  1,821|    156|    135|   8.0 |   6.9 | 6.2  -   7.6
     Oklahoma.......................|  2,427|  2,444|  1,544|  1,547|  1,454|  1,474|     90|     73|   5.8 |   4.7 | 4.1  -   5.3
     Texas..........................| 13,549| 13,779|  9,386|  9,568|  8,781|  8,991|    605|    576|   6.4 |   6.0 | 5.7  -   6.3
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
 West...............................| 42,369| 42,931| 28,488| 28,810| 26,425| 26,893|  2,063|  1,917|   7.2 |   6.7 | 6.5  -   6.9
   Mountain.........................| 11,245| 11,580|  7,790|  8,058|  7,378|  7,666|    412|    393|   5.3 |   4.9 | 4.7  -   5.1
     Arizona........................|  3,028|  3,126|  1,984|  2,120|  1,857|  2,012|    126|    108|   6.4 |   5.1 | 4.5  -   5.7
     Colorado.......................|  2,758|  2,832|  1,999|  2,089|  1,915|  2,001|     84|     88|   4.2 |   4.2 | 3.7  -   4.7
     Idaho..........................|    828|    853|    589|    598|    557|    565|     33|     32|   5.6 |   5.4 | 4.8  -   6.0
     Montana........................|    643|    657|    439|    436|    417|    410|     22|     26|   5.1 |   5.9 | 5.2  -   6.6
     Nevada.........................|  1,111|  1,162|    779|    801|    731|    758|     48|     43|   6.2 |   5.4 | 4.8  -   6.0
     New Mexico.....................|  1,214|  1,240|    775|    788|    726|    738|     49|     49|   6.3 |   6.3 | 5.6  -   7.0
     Utah...........................|  1,310|  1,352|    973|    971|    937|    936|     36|     35|   3.7 |   3.6 | 3.1  -   4.1
     Wyoming........................|    353|    358|    252|    256|    238|    244|     13|     12|   5.3 |   4.8 | 4.2  -   5.4
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
   Pacific..........................| 31,124| 31,351| 20,698| 20,753| 19,047| 19,228|  1,651|  1,525|   8.0 |   7.3 | 7.0  -   7.6
     Alaska.........................|    411|    416|    305|    302|    281|    280|     24|     22|   7.8 |   7.3 | 6.6  -   8.0
     California.....................| 23,451| 23,544| 15,462| 15,415| 14,133| 14,206|  1,329|  1,210|   8.6 |   7.8 | 7.5  -   8.1
     Hawaii.........................|    856|    862|    583|    580|    548|    546|     35|     34|   6.1 |   5.9 | 5.2  -   6.6
     Oregon.........................|  2,382|  2,428|  1,640|  1,650|  1,551|  1,570|     89|     80|   5.4 |   4.8 | 4.2  -   5.4
     Washington.....................|  4,024|  4,101|  2,708|  2,805|  2,534|  2,626|    174|    179|   6.4 |   6.4 | 5.7  -   7.1
                                    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
 Puerto Rico3/......................|  2,635|  2,670|  1,202|  1,245|  1,027|  1,074|    175|    170|  14.6 |  13.7 |     (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.
    4/  Not available.
    NOTE:  Sub-national data for 1990-95 have been revised to
 incorporate updated 1990 census-based population controls,
 adjusted for the estimated undercount.  National data were
 revised for 1990-93.