States with highest unemployment rate in 2004: Alaska and Oregon

March 14, 2005

Two States that border the Pacific—Alaska and Oregon—recorded the highest jobless rates in 2004, 7.5 and 7.4 percent, respectively.

[Chart data—TXT]

Michigan, at 7.1 percent, was the only other state with a rate above 7.0 percent.

Overall, 16 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rates above the national average of 5.5 percent in 2004. Four of the five Pacific division states and three of the four West South Central states recorded rates above the national rate.

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. To learn more, see State and Regional Unemployment, 2004 Annual Averages Summary (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 05-385.