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Economic News Release
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Regional and State Unemployment (Annual) News Release

Technical information:         (202) 691-6392       USDL 08-0262
                      http://www.bls.gov/lau/
                                                    For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                 (202) 691-5902       Friday, February 29, 2008


           REGIONAL AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT, 2007 ANNUAL AVERAGES

   From 2006 to 2007, annual average unemployment rates declined in 28 states
and the District of Columbia, rose in 16 states, and were unchanged in 6 states,
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.
Employment-population ratios decreased in 28 states, increased in 17 states and
the District of Columbia, and remained the same in 5 states.  Among the four
regions, jobless rates were down in two and up in two; employment-population
ratios declined in 3 of the 4 regions in 2007.  The annual average U.S. jobless
rate was 4.6 percent in 2007 unchanged from 2006, while the national employment-
population ratio was essentially unchanged at 63.0 percent.

Regional Unemployment

   In 2007, the Midwest was the only region to post a statistically significant
change in its annual average unemployment rate from 2006 (+0.1 percentage point).
For the second year in a row, the South reported the lowest jobless rate, 4.3 per-
cent in 2007, while the Midwest recorded the highest rate for the third consecu-
tive year, 5.1 percent.  The Northeast and South both registered jobless rates
significantly below the U.S. rate, whereas the Midwest had a significantly higher
rate than that of the nation.  (See table 1.)

   Three of the 9 geographic divisions reported statistically significant over-
the-year unemployment rate changes in 2007.  The West South Central and Mountain
divisions registered significant rate decreases (-0.4 and -0.3 percentage point,
respectively).  The Pacific division had the only significant rate increase (+0.3
percentage point).  The Mountain division again posted the lowest jobless rate,
3.6 percent, and the East North Central registered the highest rate for the third
consecutive year, 5.5 percent.  Five divisions recorded annual average unemployment
rates that were measurably lower than that of the U.S.--the Mountain, 3.6 percent;
South Atlantic, 4.2 percent; West North Central, 4.3 percent; and Middle Atlantic
and West South Central, 4.4 percent each.  The East North Central and Pacific divi-
sions reported rates that were appreciably higher than the U.S. average, 5.5 and
5.2 percent, respectively.  The Mountain division had the lowest annual jobless
rate (3.6 percent) in its series in 2007.  (All region, division, and state series
begin in 1976.)

State Unemployment

   Ten states recorded statistically significant changes in their annual average
unemployment rates from 2006 to 2007--five states registered rate decreases and
five had rate increases.  New Mexico and Texas posted the largest over-the-year
jobless rate declines (-0.8 and -0.6 percentage point, respectively), while 
Florida, Minnesota, and Nevada reported the largest rate increases (+0.6 percent-
age point each).  Forty states and the District of Columbia recorded annual aver-
age unemployment rates for 2007 that were not appreciably different from those of
the previous year, even though some had changes that were at least as large numeri-
cally as the statistically significant changes.  (See table A.)

   Hawaii again reported the lowest unemployment rate among the states, 2.6 per-
cent in 2007, followed closely by Idaho and Utah at 2.7 percent each.  The states
with the highest unemployment rates in 2007 once again were Michigan at 7.2 per-
cent, Mississippi at 6.3 percent, and Alaska at 6.2 percent.  Twenty-one states
registered annual average unemployment rates that were significantly below the
U.S. rate, while nine states and the District of Columbia recorded rates that were
appreciably above it.  Jobless rates in the remaining 20 states were not signifi-
cantly different from the overall U.S. rate.  Nine states posted the lowest annual
jobless rates in their series--Arizona (3.8 percent), Idaho (2.7 percent), Louisiana
(3.8 percent), Montana (3.1 percent), New Mexico (3.5 percent), Texas (4.3 percent),
Utah (2.7 percent), Washington (4.5 percent), and West Virginia (4.6 percent).  (See
table B.)


                                         - 2 -


Regional Employment-Population Ratios

   In 2007, no region registered a statistically significant change in its annual
average employment-population ratio--the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional
population 16 years and over with a job.  The Midwest and West at 64.8 and 63.5 per-
cent, respectively, had employment-population ratios that were significantly higher
than that of the nation.  The South and Northeast had appreciably lower ratios, 62.0
and 62.1 percent, respectively.  (See table 2.)

   None of the nine divisions reported statistically significant changes in their
employment-population ratios in 2007.  The West North Central again registered the
highest proportion of employed persons, while the East South Central continued to
have the lowest proportion.  Three divisions recorded employment-population ratios 
that were measurably higher than that of the U.S.--the West North Central (67.7 per-
cent), Mountain (65.5 percent), and New England (64.9 percent)--and three had lower
ratios--the East South Central (59.4 percent), Middle Atlantic (61.1 percent), and
West South Central (61.9 percent).

State Employment-Population Ratios

   Four states posted significant decreases in their annual employment-population 
ratios in 2007, and one state recorded a significant increase.  The largest de-
crease was in Michigan (-0.9 percentage point), followed by Vermont (-0.8 point),
Minnesota (-0.6 point), and Texas (-0.4 point).  Virginia was the only state to 
report a significant increase in its employment-population ratio (+0.1 percentage
point).  Forty-five states and the District of Columbia had 2007 employment-popu-
lation ratios that were not appreciably different from those of the previous year.

   Five states posted employment-population ratios of at least 70.0 percent in 2007:
North Dakota, 71.2 percent; South Dakota, 71.0 percent; Nebraska, 70.7 percent; Utah,
70.3 percent; and Colorado, 70.0 percent.  Nine states had employment-population ratios
below 60.0 percent, with West Virginia and Mississippi registering the lowest ratios,
53.4 and 56.7 percent, respectively.  In 2007, 23 states and the District of Columbia
reported employment-population ratios that were significantly higher than that of the
U.S., and 16 states recorded appreciably lower ratios.  The remaining 11 states had 
ratios that were essentially the same as that of the U.S.  (See table C.)

Note

   All subnational estimates presented in this release were derived from updated time-
series models with real-time benchmarking to national Current Population Survey (CPS)
estimates.  Subnational data reflect revised population controls and model reestimation.
Historical data were revised back to 2003.  Data for regions, divisions, states, and the
District of Columbia are available back to 1976.

   Consistent with the long-standing practice used in this release and the monthly
Regional and State Employment and Unemployment release, the introductory section of
this release highlights the direction of the movements in regional and state unemploy-
ment rates and employment-population ratios regardless of their statistical signifi-
cance.  The remainder of the analysis, particularly in comparisons with the U.S. and
over-the-year changes, reflects model-based error measures.  BLS uses a 90-percent con-
fidence level in determining whether changes or differences in subnational unemployment
rates and employment-population ratios are statistically significant.  Model-based error
measures are available on the BLS Web site at http://www.bls.gov/lau/lastderr.htm.  Data
for Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to the CPS, and error
measures are not available.

   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.


                                   - 3 -


Table A.  States with statistically significant unemployment
rate changes, 2006-07 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------------------
                             |       Rate      | Over-the-year
            State            |-----------------|  rate change 
                             |  2006  |  2007  |              
-----------------------------|--------------------------------
                             |        |        |              
California ..................|   4.9  |   5.4  |       0.5    
Colorado ....................|   4.3  |   3.8  |       -.5    
Florida......................|   3.4  |   4.0  |        .6    
Idaho .......................|   3.2  |   2.7  |       -.5    
Illinois ....................|   4.6  |   5.0  |        .4    
Minnesota ...................|   4.0  |   4.6  |        .6    
Nevada ......................|   4.2  |   4.8  |        .6    
New Jersey ..................|   4.7  |   4.2  |       -.5    
New Mexico ..................|   4.3  |   3.5  |       -.8    
Texas .......................|   4.9  |   4.3  |       -.6    
--------------------------------------------------------------





Table B.  States with unemployment rates significantly
different from that of the U.S., 2007 annual averages
------------------------------------------------------
            State            |        2007 rate       
-----------------------------|------------------------
United States ...............|           4.6          
                             |                        
Alabama .....................|           3.5          
Alaska ......................|           6.2          
Arizona .....................|           3.8          
Arkansas ....................|           5.4          
California ..................|           5.4          
Colorado ....................|           3.8          
Delaware ....................|           3.4          
District of Columbia ........|           5.7          
Florida .....................|           4.0          
Hawaii ......................|           2.6          
                             |                        
Idaho .......................|           2.7          
Iowa ........................|           3.8          
Kansas ......................|           4.1          
Kentucky ....................|           5.5          
Louisiana ...................|           3.8          
Maryland ....................|           3.6          
Michigan.....................|           7.2          
Mississippi .................|           6.3          
Montana .....................|           3.1          
Nebraska ....................|           3.0          
                             |                        
New Hampshire ...............|           3.6          
New Mexico ..................|           3.5          
North Dakota ................|           3.2          
Ohio ........................|           5.6          
Oregon ......................|           5.2          
South Carolina ..............|           5.9          
South Dakota ................|           3.0          
Utah ........................|           2.7          
Vermont .....................|           3.9          
Virginia ....................|           3.0          
Wyoming .....................|           3.0          
------------------------------------------------------


                                   - 4 -


Table C.  States with employment-population ratios
significantly different from that of the U.S.,
2007 annual averages
--------------------------------------------------
            State            |        2007 rate   
-----------------------------|--------------------
United States ...............|         63.0       
                             |                    
Alabama .....................|         59.2       
Alaska ......................|         66.2       
Arizona .....................|         61.2       
Arkansas ....................|         59.8       
California ..................|         62.1       
Colorado ....................|         70.0       
Connecticut .................|         65.4       
District of Columbia ........|         64.3       
Florida .....................|         61.2       
Georgia .....................|         64.9       
                             |                    
Idaho .......................|         66.0       
Illinois ....................|         64.8       
Iowa ........................|         69.1       
Kansas ......................|         67.5       
Kentucky ....................|         59.1       
Louisiana ...................|         59.3       
Maryland ....................|         66.4       
Michigan ....................|         59.7       
Minnesota ...................|         69.6       
Mississippi .................|         56.7       
                             |                    
Montana .....................|         64.8       
Nebraska ....................|         70.7       
Nevada ......................|         65.4       
New Hampshire ...............|         68.4       
New Mexico ..................|         60.9       
New York ....................|         59.9       
North Dakota ................|         71.2       
Oklahoma ....................|         60.7       
Pennsylvania ................|         61.5       
Rhode Island ................|         65.4       
                             |                    
South Carolina ..............|         59.7       
South Dakota ................|         71.0       
Tennessee ...................|         60.9       
Utah ........................|         70.3       
Vermont .....................|         67.8       
Virginia ....................|         66.9       
Washington ..................|         64.8       
West Virginia ...............|         53.4       
Wisconsin ...................|         67.4       
Wyoming .....................|         69.2       
--------------------------------------------------





 

Table 1.  Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,
2006-07 annual averages
 
(Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                     
                                    Population      Civilian labor       Employed         Unemployed     Unemployment                
                                                        force                                                rate     Error range of 
  Region, division, and state                                                                                         rate, 2007 (1) 
                                                                                                                                     
                                  2006     2007     2006     2007     2006     2007      2006     2007    2006   2007                
                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                     
     United States.............  228,815  231,867  151,428  153,124  144,427  146,047    7,001    7,078    4.6    4.6   4.6   -   4.7

Northeast......................   42,739   42,956   27,881   27,920   26,605   26,685    1,276    1,236    4.6    4.4   4.3   -   4.6
   New England.................   11,205   11,268    7,607    7,648    7,262    7,307      345      340    4.5    4.4   4.2   -   4.7
      Connecticut..............    2,707    2,723    1,836    1,865    1,756    1,780       80       85    4.4    4.6   4.2   -   5.0
      Maine....................    1,052    1,058      703      705      671      671       32       33    4.6    4.7   4.3   -   5.2
      Massachusetts............    5,078    5,107    3,405    3,408    3,241    3,256      164      153    4.8    4.5   4.0   -   4.9
      New Hampshire............    1,031    1,040      732      738      706      712       26       26    3.5    3.6   3.3   -   3.8
      Rhode Island.............      838      837      575      577      546      548       29       29    5.1    5.0   4.6   -   5.5
      Vermont..................      499      502      356      354      343      340       13       14    3.7    3.9   3.5   -   4.3

   Middle Atlantic.............   31,534   31,688   20,275   20,273   19,343   19,377      931      895    4.6    4.4   4.2   -   4.6
      New Jersey...............    6,714    6,751    4,493    4,466    4,284    4,277      209      190    4.7    4.2   3.9   -   4.6
      New York.................   15,097   15,164    9,492    9,519    9,057    9,087      435      432    4.6    4.5   4.3   -   4.8
      Pennsylvania.............    9,722    9,773    6,290    6,287    6,003    6,013      287      274    4.6    4.4   4.0   -   4.7

Midwest........................   50,760   51,100   34,723   34,888   33,001   33,095    1,723    1,793    5.0    5.1   5.0   -   5.3
   East North Central..........   35,500   35,701   23,896   23,995   22,617   22,665    1,279    1,329    5.4    5.5   5.3   -   5.8
      Illinois.................    9,740    9,821    6,574    6,697    6,273    6,362      301      336    4.6    5.0   4.6   -   5.4
      Indiana..................    4,803    4,845    3,233    3,211    3,073    3,066      160      146    4.9    4.5   4.0   -   5.0
      Michigan.................    7,789    7,803    5,073    5,020    4,722    4,660      351      360    6.9    7.2   6.7   -   7.7
      Ohio.....................    8,845    8,874    5,947    5,977    5,625    5,640      322      336    5.4    5.6   5.2   -   6.1
      Wisconsin................    4,323    4,359    3,069    3,089    2,924    2,938      145      151    4.7    4.9   4.5   -   5.3

   West North Central..........   15,260   15,398   10,828   10,893   10,384   10,429      444      464    4.1    4.3   4.1   -   4.5
      Iowa.....................    2,297    2,313    1,658    1,661    1,595    1,598       63       63    3.8    3.8   3.4   -   4.2
      Kansas...................    2,083    2,101    1,471    1,479    1,407    1,419       64       60    4.3    4.1   3.7   -   4.5
      Minnesota................    3,978    4,020    2,910    2,931    2,793    2,797      118      134    4.0    4.6   4.2   -   4.9
      Missouri.................    4,472    4,513    3,016    3,031    2,871    2,878      145      153    4.8    5.0   4.5   -   5.6
      Nebraska.................    1,338    1,348      975      983      945      954       30       30    3.0    3.0   2.7   -   3.4
      North Dakota.............      495      497      361      366      350      354       12       12    3.2    3.2   2.8   -   3.6
      South Dakota.............      598      605      437      443      423      429       13       13    3.1    3.0   2.7   -   3.3

South..........................   82,537   83,877   53,706   54,399   51,314   52,043    2,391    2,356    4.5    4.3   4.2   -   4.4
   South Atlantic..............   43,807   44,502   28,782   29,230   27,609   28,013    1,173    1,217    4.1    4.2   4.0   -   4.3
      Delaware.................      658      668      439      443      424      428       16       15    3.5    3.4   3.0   -   3.8
      District of Columbia.....      473      477      320      326      301      307       19       19    5.9    5.7   5.1   -   6.2
      Florida..................   14,164   14,356    8,939    9,148    8,634    8,779      305      368    3.4    4.0   3.8   -   4.3
      Georgia..................    6,931    7,090    4,732    4,815    4,516    4,603      216      212    4.6    4.4   4.0   -   4.8
      Maryland.................    4,299    4,328    2,974    2,980    2,862    2,874      112      107    3.8    3.6   3.3   -   3.9
      North Carolina...........    6,737    6,893    4,460    4,519    4,248    4,309      211      211    4.7    4.7   4.3   -   5.0
      South Carolina...........    3,303    3,369    2,117    2,137    1,982    2,011      135      125    6.4    5.9   5.3   -   6.5
      Virginia.................    5,801    5,873    3,995    4,054    3,874    3,931      121      123    3.0    3.0   2.7   -   3.4
      West Virginia............    1,442    1,447      805      809      768      772       38       37    4.7    4.6   3.9   -   5.2

   East South Central..........   13,596   13,752    8,497    8,578    8,060    8,163      437      415    5.1    4.8   4.5   -   5.2
      Alabama..................    3,522    3,558    2,159    2,183    2,082    2,106       76       77    3.5    3.5   2.8   -   4.2
      Kentucky.................    3,241    3,271    2,029    2,044    1,911    1,932      118      112    5.8    5.5   4.9   -   6.0
      Mississippi..............    2,151    2,173    1,301    1,315    1,213    1,232       88       83    6.7    6.3   5.6   -   7.1
      Tennessee................    4,682    4,751    3,008    3,037    2,854    2,894      154      143    5.1    4.7   4.2   -   5.2

   West South Central..........   25,133   25,622   16,427   16,591   15,645   15,866      782      725    4.8    4.4   4.2   -   4.6
      Arkansas.................    2,140    2,163    1,359    1,368    1,288    1,294       72       74    5.3    5.4   4.8   -   6.0
      Louisiana................    3,202    3,242    1,971    1,998    1,894    1,921       78       77    3.9    3.8   3.2   -   4.5
      Oklahoma.................    2,700    2,731    1,719    1,733    1,648    1,658       71       75    4.1    4.3   3.8   -   4.8
      Texas....................   17,091   17,487   11,378   11,492   10,816   10,993      562      500    4.9    4.3   4.1   -   4.6

West...........................   52,337   53,215   34,821   35,444   33,222   33,773    1,599    1,671    4.6    4.7   4.6   -   4.9
   Mountain....................   15,677   16,065   10,680   10,919   10,262   10,521      418      398    3.9    3.6   3.5   -   3.8
      Arizona..................    4,623    4,760    2,969    3,029    2,848    2,914      121      115    4.1    3.8   3.3   -   4.3
      Colorado.................    3,641    3,717    2,651    2,706    2,536    2,602      115      104    4.3    3.8   3.5   -   4.2
      Idaho....................    1,085    1,112      742      754      718      734       23       20    3.2    2.7   2.3   -   3.2
      Montana..................      739      750      495      501      479      486       16       16    3.3    3.1   2.6   -   3.7
      Nevada...................    1,887    1,944    1,285    1,336    1,230    1,271       54       64    4.2    4.8   4.4   -   5.2
      New Mexico...............    1,469    1,494      937      943      897      910       40       33    4.3    3.5   3.0   -   4.0
      Utah.....................    1,837    1,885    1,318    1,362    1,279    1,325       39       36    3.0    2.7   2.3   -   3.0
      Wyoming..................      396      403      283      288      274      279        9        9    3.3    3.0   2.6   -   3.4

   Pacific.....................   36,660   37,150   24,141   24,525   22,960   23,252    1,181    1,273    4.9    5.2   5.0   -   5.4
      Alaska...................      493      499      351      352      328      331       23       22    6.5    6.2   5.5   -   6.8
      California...............   27,369   27,699   17,907   18,188   17,030   17,209      877      979    4.9    5.4   5.2   -   5.6
      Hawaii...................      979      989      648      649      632      632       16       17    2.5    2.6   2.3   -   3.0
      Oregon...................    2,892    2,943    1,902    1,928    1,800    1,827      102      101    5.4    5.2   4.7   -   5.7
      Washington...............    4,928    5,020    3,334    3,408    3,170    3,253      163      155    4.9    4.5   4.1   -   5.0

Puerto Rico....................    2,982    3,023    1,407    1,394    1,261    1,241      146      152   10.4   10.9         NA     

   1 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded data.
   NA = Data not available.
   NOTE:  Data refer to place of residence.  Unemployment rates are in percent and are based on unrounded levels.  Data for sub-
national areas reflect revised population controls and model reestimation.  As a result, they will not add to U.S. totals.  Data for
Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to the Current Population Survey.






Table 2.  Employment-population ratios of persons 16 years of age and over by region, division,
and state, 2006-07 annual averages

(Percent)
                                                                                                
                                                                                                
                                   Employment-population                                        
                                           ratio (1)      Over-the-        Error range of       
  Region, division, and state                               year    employment-population ratio,
                                                           change             2007 (2)          
                                      2006       2007                                           
                                                                                                
                                                                                                
                                                                                                
     United States.............       63.1       63.0       -0.1          62.8    -    63.2
                                                                                           
Northeast......................       62.3       62.1        -.2          61.7    -    62.6
   New England.................       64.8       64.9         .1          64.1    -    65.6
      Connecticut..............       64.8       65.4         .6          64.2    -    66.5
      Maine....................       63.8       63.4        -.4          62.2    -    64.7
      Massachusetts............       63.8       63.8         .0          62.7    -    64.9
      New Hampshire............       68.5       68.4        -.1          67.4    -    69.4
      Rhode Island.............       65.1       65.4         .3          64.3    -    66.6
      Vermont..................       68.6       67.8        -.8          66.6    -    68.9
                                                                                           
   Middle Atlantic.............       61.3       61.1        -.2          60.6    -    61.7
      New Jersey...............       63.8       63.4        -.4          62.4    -    64.3
      New York.................       60.0       59.9        -.1          59.3    -    60.6
      Pennsylvania.............       61.7       61.5        -.2          60.7    -    62.4
                                                                                           
Midwest........................       65.0       64.8        -.2          64.4    -    65.2
   East North Central..........       63.7       63.5        -.2          63.0    -    64.0
      Illinois.................       64.4       64.8         .4          63.8    -    65.7
      Indiana..................       64.0       63.3        -.7          61.9    -    64.7
      Michigan.................       60.6       59.7        -.9          58.7    -    60.7
      Ohio.....................       63.6       63.6         .0          62.7    -    64.4
      Wisconsin................       67.6       67.4        -.2          66.1    -    68.7
                                                                                           
   West North Central..........       68.0       67.7        -.3          67.1    -    68.3
      Iowa.....................       69.4       69.1        -.3          68.0    -    70.2
      Kansas...................       67.5       67.5         .0          66.4    -    68.6
      Minnesota................       70.2       69.6        -.6          68.4    -    70.7
      Missouri.................       64.2       63.8        -.4          62.4    -    65.1
      Nebraska.................       70.6       70.7         .1          69.6    -    71.9
      North Dakota.............       70.7       71.2         .5          69.5    -    72.8
      South Dakota.............       70.8       71.0         .2          69.8    -    72.2
                                                                                           
South..........................       62.2       62.0        -.2          61.7    -    62.4
   South Atlantic..............       63.0       62.9        -.1          62.5    -    63.4
      Delaware.................       64.4       64.0        -.4          62.9    -    65.1
      District of Columbia.....       63.6       64.3         .7          63.1    -    65.6
      Florida..................       61.0       61.2         .2          60.3    -    62.0
      Georgia..................       65.2       64.9        -.3          64.0    -    65.9
      Maryland.................       66.6       66.4        -.2          65.5    -    67.3
      North Carolina...........       63.1       62.5        -.6          61.5    -    63.5
      South Carolina...........       60.0       59.7        -.3          58.7    -    60.7
      Virginia.................       66.8       66.9         .1          66.0    -    67.8
      West Virginia............       53.2       53.4         .2          51.7    -    55.0
                                                                                           
   East South Central..........       59.3       59.4         .1          58.5    -    60.2
      Alabama..................       59.1       59.2         .1          57.5    -    60.9
      Kentucky.................       59.0       59.1         .1          57.7    -    60.4
      Mississippi..............       56.4       56.7         .3          55.1    -    58.3
      Tennessee................       61.0       60.9        -.1          59.7    -    62.1
                                                                                           
   West South Central..........       62.2       61.9        -.3          61.3    -    62.5
      Arkansas.................       60.2       59.8        -.4          58.6    -    61.0
      Louisiana................       59.1       59.3         .2          57.6    -    60.9
      Oklahoma.................       61.0       60.7        -.3          59.4    -    62.0
      Texas....................       63.3       62.9        -.4          62.1    -    63.6
                                                                                           
West...........................       63.5       63.5         .0          63.1    -    63.8
   Mountain....................       65.5       65.5         .0          64.9    -    66.1
      Arizona..................       61.6       61.2        -.4          59.8    -    62.6
      Colorado.................       69.7       70.0         .3          68.5    -    71.5
      Idaho....................       66.2       66.0        -.2          64.6    -    67.4
      Montana..................       64.8       64.8         .0          63.4    -    66.1
      Nevada...................       65.2       65.4         .2          64.3    -    66.6
      New Mexico...............       61.0       60.9        -.1          59.9    -    61.9
      Utah.....................       69.7       70.3         .6          68.9    -    71.8
      Wyoming..................       69.2       69.2         .0          67.9    -    70.5
                                                                                           
   Pacific.....................       62.6       62.6         .0          62.2    -    63.0
      Alaska...................       66.6       66.2        -.4          64.5    -    67.9
      California...............       62.2       62.1        -.1          61.7    -    62.6
      Hawaii...................       64.5       63.9        -.6          62.7    -    65.2
      Oregon...................       62.2       62.1        -.1          61.1    -    63.1
      Washington...............       64.3       64.8         .5          63.8    -    65.8
                                                                                           
Puerto Rico....................       42.3       41.1       -1.2                  NA       

   1 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age
and over.
   2 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded
data.
   NA = Data not available.
   NOTE:  Data refer to place of residence.  Employment-population ratios are based on
unrounded levels.  Data for subnational areas reflect revised population controls and model
reestimation.  Data for Puerto Rico are derived from a monthly household survey similar to
the Current Population Survey.






Last Modified Date: February 29, 2008