Technical information:   (202)691-6559       USDL 06-362
               http://www.bls.gov/lau/

                                             For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                691-5902       Wednesday, March 1, 2006

                                     
           STATE AND REGIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT, 2005 ANNUAL AVERAGES


   Annual average unemployment rates declined from 2004 to 2005 in nearly
four-fifths of the states and all four regions, while employment-popula-
tion ratios rose in over two-thirds of the states and in all four regions,
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported
today.  The U.S. jobless rate dropped by 0.4 percentage point to 5.1 per-
cent in 2005, while the national employment-population ratio increased
by 0.4 point to 62.7 percent.
   
Regional Unemployment

   Among the four regions, the Northeast and South reported the lowest
jobless rates in 2005, 4.8 and 5.0 percent, respectively.  The unemploy-
ment rate in the West was 5.2 percent in 2005, while the rate in the
Midwest, 5.4 percent, was the highest among the regions for the first
time in 20 years.  The range between the highest and lowest regional un-
employment rates (0.6 percentage point) did not change over the year; the
only year the range was smaller was 1990.  The West registered the largest
unemployment rate decrease from 2004 to 2005 (-0.7 percentage point),
followed by the Northeast (-0.5 point).

   Eight of the nine geographic divisions posted over-the-year unemployment
rate declines.  The largest decreases were reported in the Pacific (-0.9
percentage point), Middle Atlantic (-0.6 point), and Mountain (-0.5 point)
divisions.  The East South Central was the only division with the same rate
as in 2004.  The divisions with the lowest jobless rates in 2005 were the
South Atlantic, 4.5 percent, Mountain and West North Central, 4.6 percent
each, and New England, 4.7 percent.  The divisions recording the highest
unemployment rates were the East North Central and East South Central, at
5.8 and 5.6 percent, respectively.

State Unemployment
   
   Annual average unemployment rates decreased from 2004 to 2005 in 39
states and the District of Columbia, rose in 9 states, and were unchanged
in 2 states.  The largest rate declines occurred in Alabama and Oregon
(-1.2 percentage points each) and Florida and Idaho (-0.9 point each).
Fifteen additional states reported over-the-year rate decreases of at least
one-half percentage point.  The District of Columbia's jobless rate decreased
by 1.0 percentage point.  The largest unemployment rate increases for 2005
were recorded by the two states most affected by Hurricane Katrina:  Missis-
sippi (+1.6 percentage points) and Louisiana (+1.4 points).  The next largest
rate increases were registered in Kentucky (+0.6 percentage point) and Georgia
(+0.5 point).  (See table 1.)

                                  - 2 -

   Hawaii again had the lowest unemployment rate among the states, 2.8 per-
cent.  North Dakota posted the next lowest rate, 3.4 percent, followed closely
by Vermont and Virginia, 3.5 percent each, and New Hampshire and Wyoming,
3.6 percent each.  Four additional states (Florida, Idaho, Nebraska, and
South Dakota) reported annual average unemployment rates below 4.0 percent.
Mississippi and Louisiana recorded the highest jobless rates in 2005, 7.9 and
7.1 percent, respectively.  Three other states had rates above 6.5 percent--
Alaska and South Carolina, 6.8 percent each, and Michigan, 6.7 percent.  The
District of Columbia's rate was 6.5 percent.
   
   Overall, 31 states reported unemployment rates below the national
average of 5.1 percent, 18 states and the District of Columbia registered
rates above it, and 1 state had the same rate.  All nine states in the
Middle Atlantic and New England divisions, seven of the eight states in
the Mountain, and six of the seven states in the West North Central posted
rates equal to or below that of the U.S.  In contrast, four of the five
East North Central states, four of the five Pacific states, and three of
the four East South Central states recorded rates above that of the nation.

Regional Employment-Population Ratios
   
   In 2005, all four regions registered over-the-year increases in their
employment-population ratios--the proportion of the civilian noninstitu-
tional population 16 years of age and over that was employed. The Northeast
and West posted the largest increases (+0.5 percentage point each).  Relative
to the 62.7-percent employment-population ratio for the U.S., the Midwest
(64.5 percent) and West (63.1 percent) reported higher ratios, while the
South (61.7 percent) and Northeast (61.9 percent) had lower ratios.

   Of the nine geographic divisions, the Middle Atlantic and Pacific recorded
the largest increases in their employment-population ratios (+0.7 percentage
point each).  The East South Central division registered the largest decline
from 2004 (-0.4 percentage point).  The West North Central again reported the
highest proportion of employed persons (67.8 percent), while the East South
Central continued to have the lowest proportion (58.5 percent).

State Employment-Population Ratios

   In 2005, 35 states and the District of Columbia posted increases in
their proportions of employed persons from 2004, 12 states reported
declines, and 3 states had no change.  The largest state employment-
population ratio increases occurred in Arkansas (+1.9 percentage points),
Rhode Island (+1.2 points), Idaho (+1.1 points), and Hawaii (+1.0 point).
Twelve additional states recorded increases of at least one-half percentage
point.  The District of Columbia had an increase of 1.5 percentage points.
Mississippi registered the largest decrease in its employment-population
ratio in 2005 (-1.1 percentage points).  Three other states had declines
of at least 0.5 percentage point in 2005--Tennessee (-0.8 percentage point),
Nebraska (-0.6 point), and Wisconsin (-0.5 point).  (See table 2.)
   
   Minnesota continued to record the highest proportion of employed persons
in 2005, 71.0 percent, followed by two other West North Central states--
Nebraska and South Dakota, at 70.6 and 70.1 percent, respectively.  West
Virginia again had the lowest employment-population ratio among all states,
52.3 percent.  Mississippi had the next lowest ratio, 56.6 percent.  Seven
of the eight states with employment-population ratios below 60.0 percent
were located in the South.  Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia
recorded employment-population ratios higher than the U.S. figure of 62.7
percent, while 18 states registered lower ratios.  One state had a ratio
equal to that of the U.S.  All states in New England and the West North
Central again reported employment-population ratios above the U.S. average,
while all states in the East South Central division again had ratios below
it.
   
                                  - 3 -

Note
   
   All subnational estimates presented in this release were derived from
updated time-series models with monthly benchmarking to national Current
Population Survey (CPS) estimates.  Subnational data reflect revised
population controls and model reestimation.  Historical data were revised
back to 2000.  Data for regions, divisions, states, and the District of
Columbia are available back to 1976.  Error measures on annual average
model-based estimates are not available.  Data for Puerto Rico are derived
from a monthly household survey similar to the Current Population Survey.

   Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-691-5200; TDD message referral
phone number:  1-800-877-8339.






Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, 
and state, 2004-05 annual averages
 
(Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                                    Population      Civilian labor       Employed         Unemployed     Unemployment 
                                                        force                                                rate     
  Region, division, and state                                                                                         
                                                                                                                      
                                  2004     2005     2004     2005     2004     2005      2004     2005    2004   2005  
                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                      
     United States ............  223,357 226,082  147,401  149,320  139,252  141,730    8,149    7,591    5.5    5.1 
                                 	 	  	   	    	    				   	 
Northeast......................   42,447  42,584   27,508   27,689   26,042   26,358    1,466    1,331    5.3    4.8 
   New England.................   11,135  11,180    7,517    7,551    7,149    7,198      368      353    4.9    4.7 
      Connecticut..............    2,697   2,714    1,803    1,817    1,714    1,728       89       89    4.9    4.9 
      Maine....................    1,052   1,063      700      712      667      677       32       34    4.6    4.8 
      Massachusetts............    5,025   5,027    3,375    3,364    3,199    3,203      176      162    5.2    4.8 
      New Hampshire............    1,017   1,030      724      732      696      706       28       26    3.9    3.6 
      Rhode Island.............      845     843      562      569      533      541       29       29    5.2    5.0 
      Vermont..................      499     503      353      356      340      344       13       12    3.7    3.5 
                                 	 	  	   	    					  	 
   Middle Atlantic.............   31,312  31,405   19,991   20,139   18,893   19,160    1,098      979    5.5    4.9 
      New Jersey...............    6,655   6,687    4,380    4,430    4,164    4,236      215      194    4.9    4.4 
      New York.................   14,964  14,971    9,362    9,416    8,820    8,944      542      472    5.8    5.0 
      Pennsylvania.............    9,693   9,747    6,249    6,292    5,909    5,980      341      312    5.4    5.0 
                                 	 	  	   	    					  	 
Midwest........................   50,340  50,726   34,397   34,602   32,426   32,725    1,971    1,878    5.7    5.4 
   East North Central..........   35,186  35,406   23,567   23,718   22,129   22,338    1,438    1,380    6.1    5.8 
      Illinois.................    9,639   9,700    6,405    6,469    6,008    6,101      398      369    6.2    5.7 
      Indiana..................    4,715   4,760    3,172    3,209    3,004    3,035      168      174    5.3    5.4 
      Michigan.................    7,738   7,771    5,073    5,097    4,717    4,754      356      344    7.0    6.7 
      Ohio.....................    8,820   8,859    5,875    5,900    5,512    5,550      363      350    6.2    5.9 
      Wisconsin................    4,273   4,317    3,041    3,041    2,888    2,897      153      144    5.0    4.7 
                                 	 	  	   	    			 		  	 
   West North Central..........   15,155  15,321   10,830   10,885   10,296   10,387      534      498    4.9    4.6 
      Iowa.....................    2,307   2,329    1,636    1,660    1,559    1,584       77       76    4.7    4.6 
      Kansas...................    2,068   2,089    1,469    1,476    1,387    1,401       82       75    5.6    5.1 
      Minnesota................    3,939   3,985    2,942    2,947    2,807    2,829      134      119    4.6    4.0 
      Missouri.................    4,428   4,479    3,014    3,024    2,841    2,862      174      162    5.8    5.4 
      Nebraska.................    1,331   1,344      986      986      947      949       38       37    3.9    3.8 
      North Dakota.............      497     501      355      359      343      347       12       12    3.5    3.4 
      South Dakota.............      585     593      428      432      412      415       16       17    3.8    3.9 
                                 	 	  	   	    					  	 
South..........................   80,049  81,442   51,895   52,867   49,168   50,234    2,727    2,633    5.3    5.0 
   South Atlantic..............   42,141  42,966   27,398   28,058   26,075   26,788    1,324    1,270    4.8    4.5 
      Delaware.................      641     655      429      438      412      420       17       18    4.0    4.2 
      District of Columbia.....      442     437      296      296      274      277       22       19    7.5    6.5 
      Florida..................   13,512  13,868    8,407    8,654    8,016    8,329      391      325    4.7    3.8 
      Georgia..................    6,624   6,769    4,443    4,588    4,231    4,346      212      242    4.8    5.3 
      Maryland.................    4,222   4,261    2,888    2,935    2,764    2,814      124      121    4.3    4.1 
      North Carolina...........    6,441   6,567    4,251    4,333    4,017    4,106      234      227    5.5    5.2 
      South Carolina...........    3,192   3,251    2,039    2,081    1,900    1,939      139      142    6.8    6.8 
      Virginia.................    5,616   5,704    3,855    3,934    3,713    3,798      142      136    3.7    3.5 
      West Virginia............    1,450   1,456      791      800      749      761       42       40    5.3    5.0 
                                 	 	  	   	    					  	 
   East South Central..........   13,395  13,559    8,353    8,407    7,889    7,932      464      475    5.6    5.6 
      Alabama..................    3,481   3,521    2,145    2,155    2,034    2,069      111       86    5.2    4.0 
      Kentucky.................    3,189   3,222    1,976    2,000    1,867    1,878      110      121    5.5    6.1 
      Mississippi..............    2,165   2,185    1,334    1,343    1,250    1,237       85      106    6.3    7.9 
      Tennessee................    4,560   4,631    2,897    2,910    2,739    2,748      158      162    5.5    5.6 
                                 	 	  	   	    					  	 
   West South Central..........   24,513  24,916   16,144   16,401   15,205   15,514      939      887    5.8    5.4 
      Arkansas.................    2,100   2,132    1,309    1,362    1,236    1,295       73       67    5.6    4.9 
      Louisiana................    3,375   3,344    2,062    2,071    1,944    1,923      118      148    5.7    7.1 
      Oklahoma.................    2,671   2,704    1,715    1,742    1,630    1,665       84       76    4.9    4.4 
      Texas....................   16,367  16,736   11,058   11,226   10,394   10,630      664      596    6.0    5.3 
                                 	 	  	   	    					  	 
West...........................   50,522  51,313   33,605   34,150   31,622   32,391    1,983    1,759    5.9    5.2 
   Mountain....................   14,821  15,236   10,077   10,328    9,568    9,855      510      473    5.1    4.6 
      Arizona..................    4,268   4,433    2,763    2,844    2,626    2,710      137      134    5.0    4.7 
      Colorado.................    3,472   3,526    2,510    2,548    2,371    2,419      140      129    5.6    5.0 
      Idaho....................    1,041   1,073      711      739      678      711       33       28    4.7    3.8 
      Montana..................      729     741      484      493      463      474       21       20    4.3    4.0 
      Nevada...................    1,757   1,826    1,179    1,216    1,125    1,167       54       49    4.6    4.1 
      New Mexico...............    1,433   1,463      915      936      862      887       52       49    5.7    5.3 
      Utah.....................    1,728   1,774    1,236    1,268    1,173    1,214       62       54    5.0    4.3 
      Wyoming..................      394     400      279      285      269      274       11       10    3.9    3.6 
                                  	 	  	   	     					  	 
   Pacific.....................   35,700  36,077   23,528   23,822   22,054   22,536    1,474    1,286    6.3    5.4 
      Alaska...................      466     473      336      339      311      316       25       23    7.4    6.8 
      California...............   26,715  26,935   17,500   17,696   16,408   16,747    1,092      949    6.2    5.4 
      Hawaii...................      945     958      619      635      599      617       20       18    3.3    2.8 
      Oregon...................    2,799   2,848    1,850    1,860    1,714    1,746      135      114    7.3    6.1 
      Washington...............    4,776   4,862    3,224    3,292    3,022    3,110      202      182    6.3    5.5 
                                 	 	  	   	    						 
Puerto Rico ...................    2,938   2,957    1,371    1,410    1,226    1,250      145      160   10.6   11.3 

  NOTE:  Data refer to place of residence.  Data for Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to
the Current Population Survey.  Data for subnational areas reflect revised population controls and model reestimation.
As a result, they will not add to U.S. totals.  Unemployment rates are based on unrounded levels.



Table 2.  Employment-population ratios of persons 16 years of age
and over by region, division, and state, 2004-05 annual averages

(Percent)
                                                                                             
                                                                                             
                                   Employment-population            
                                           ratio (1)      Over-the- 
  Region, division, and state                               year    
                                                           change   
                                      2004       2005               
                                                                    
                                                                               
                                                                    
     United States ............       62.3       62.7      0.4   
                                                                 
Northeast......................       61.4       61.9       .5   
   New England.................       64.2       64.4       .2   
      Connecticut..............       63.6       63.7       .1   
      Maine....................       63.4       63.7       .3   
      Massachusetts............       63.7       63.7       .0   
      New Hampshire............       68.4       68.5       .1   
      Rhode Island.............       63.0       64.2      1.2   
      Vermont..................       68.2       68.3       .1   
                                                                 
   Middle Atlantic.............       60.3       61.0       .7   
      New Jersey...............       62.6       63.3       .7   
      New York.................       58.9       59.7       .8   
      Pennsylvania.............       61.0       61.4       .4   
                                                                 
Midwest........................       64.4       64.5       .1   
   East North Central..........       62.9       63.1       .2   
      Illinois.................       62.3       62.9       .6   
      Indiana..................       63.7       63.8       .1   
      Michigan.................       61.0       61.2       .2   
      Ohio.....................       62.5       62.7       .2   
      Wisconsin................       67.6       67.1      -.5   
                                                                 
   West North Central..........       67.9       67.8      -.1   
      Iowa.....................       67.6       68.0       .4   
      Kansas...................       67.1       67.1       .0   
      Minnesota................       71.3       71.0      -.3   
      Missouri.................       64.2       63.9      -.3   
      Nebraska.................       71.2       70.6      -.6   
      North Dakota.............       68.9       69.1       .2   
      South Dakota.............       70.4       70.1      -.3   
                                                                 
South..........................       61.4       61.7       .3   
   South Atlantic..............       61.9       62.3       .4   
      Delaware.................       64.2       64.1      -.1   
      District of Columbia.....       61.9       63.4      1.5   
      Florida..................       59.3       60.1       .8   
      Georgia..................       63.9       64.2       .3   
      Maryland.................       65.5       66.0       .5   
      North Carolina...........       62.4       62.5       .1   
      South Carolina...........       59.5       59.6       .1   
      Virginia.................       66.1       66.6       .5   
      West Virginia............       51.7       52.3       .6   
                                                                 
   East South Central..........       58.9       58.5      -.4   
      Alabama..................       58.4       58.8       .4   
      Kentucky.................       58.5       58.3      -.2   
      Mississippi..............       57.7       56.6     -1.1   
      Tennessee................       60.1       59.3      -.8   
                                                                 
   West South Central..........       62.0       62.3       .3   
      Arkansas.................       58.9       60.8      1.9   
      Louisiana................       57.6       57.5      -.1   
      Oklahoma.................       61.0       61.6       .6   
      Texas....................       63.5       63.5       .0   
                                                                 
West...........................       62.6       63.1       .5   
   Mountain....................       64.6       64.7       .1   
      Arizona..................       61.5       61.1      -.4   
      Colorado.................       68.3       68.6       .3   
      Idaho....................       65.1       66.2      1.1   
      Montana..................       63.5       63.9       .4   
      Nevada...................       64.0       63.9      -.1   
      New Mexico...............       60.2       60.6       .4   
      Utah.....................       67.9       68.4       .5   
      Wyoming..................       68.1       68.6       .5   
                                                                 
   Pacific.....................       61.8       62.5       .7   
      Alaska...................       66.7       66.8       .1   
      California...............       61.4       62.2       .8   
      Hawaii...................       63.4       64.4      1.0   
      Oregon...................       61.2       61.3       .1   
      Washington...............       63.3       64.0       .7   
                                                                 
Puerto Rico ...................       41.7       42.3       .6

  1 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional popu-
lation 16 years of age and over.
  NOTE:  Data refer to place of residence.  Data for Puerto Rico are 
derived from a monthly household survey similar to the Current Popu-
lation Survey.  Data for subnational areas reflect revised population
controls and model reestimation.  Employment-population ratios are
based on unrounded levels.