Considering recent data on Unemployment Insurance Claims where new issues are both not outstanding, and within the trend (227,000), as well as employment payroll lackluster additions (114,000), what labor analysts observe is that more people want jobs while employers are not meeting the additional demand for those who want to work. Data show the US labor market is neither shrinking nor expanding (learn more on current labor market conditions) as new unemployment insurance claims have not risen significantly and new vacancies have not grown either.

Latest data on state-level unemployment show that the rate is up in 34 states while remaining unchanged or down in 18. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, July 16th, that the highest rates are in the District of Columbia, Nevada, Illinois, Puerto Rico, and California, with rates of 6.3, 6.3, 6.2, 6, and 5.8 percent, respectively. The largest increases in percentage points were reported in Michigan, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, with the following changes, respectively: 0.8, 0.8, 0.7. Otherwise, the states with the lowest reported levels of unemployment were South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, and Wyoming, with rates of 1.9, 2.1, 2.5, 2.7, and 2.8 percent, respectively.

Statewide, most increases are explained by surges in the Labor Force Participation Rate, except in the states of Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia where the unemployment is up, yet the participation rate is not. Overall, July’s data on state-level Labor Force Participation show the rate is up in 38 states while unchanged or down in 13 states. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on July 16th that the highest labor participation rates are in the District of Columbia, North Dakota, and Nebraska, with rates of 73.4%, 70.1%, 69.1%, respectively. The states with the lowest reported level of labor force participation were Kentucky, Washington, Connecticut, with rates of 58%, 63.5%, 64.6%, respectively.

To know more on Unemployment Rate for American Samoa, United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam, please refer to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.