Thirty six states saw decreases in the unemployment rate in July 2013 as compared to July 2012, while five states had no change, according to a report this week from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The decreases were part of an overall national trend that saw a decrease of 0.8% in the unemployment rate, down to 7.4%, according to the BLS.
The month-to-month numbers were not as positive, with only 8 states having a decrease in employment and 14 remaining unchanged. Twenty eight states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases when compared to the numbers from June, according to the BLS.
Still, the year-to-year numbers are positive for those looking to earn a degree or who are closing in on graduation. While the job market may have slowed this summer, it is still better than it was at this time a year ago and the overall long term trend continues to show improvement in the unemployment picture.
Comparing the unemployment numbers between 2012 and 2013, 49 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in the number of people employed, according to the BLS. The only state that saw a decrease in employment was Alaska.
In July 2013, the unemployment rate remained inordinately high in certain states. California (8.7%), Illinois (9.2%), Kentucky (8.5%), Indiana (8.4%), Michigan (8.8%), Nevada (9.5%), North Carolina (8.9%) and Rhode Island (8.9%) all were singled out by the BLS as states with high rates.
Across the nation, companies have continued to hire at a steady rate, although it slowed in July, according to the Associated Press. About 162,000 people found employment in July 2013, which is the smallest number since March 2013.
Most of the gains in employment have been in the South and West, according to the Associated Press. The unemployment rate in the West has fallen from 9.4% in July 2012 to 7.9% in July 2013, which is the biggest drop among the four regions recognized by the BLS.
In the South, the rate dropped from 7.8% to 7.3%, according to the Associated Press. California and Texas have seen the biggest gains, with the former adding 236,000 jobs and the Lone Star State adding 293,000. Utah also has seen the largest percentage gains, particularly in the information technology, manufacturing and construction industries.
During the same time frame, unemployment remained virtually unchanged in the Midwest, falling from 7.7% to 7.3%. In the Northeast, it declined from 8.4% to 7.6%.
Moody’s Analytics economist Steve Cochrane told the Associated Press that states in the South and West have seen growth in manufacturing and the South has benefited by cheap labor and lower taxes.
“Some of the old, long-standing comparative advantages are re-emerging as drivers of growth,” Cochrane told the Associated Press.
