NEW ENGLAND AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT – 2010

The annual average unemployment rate in New England, at 8.5 percent in 2010, did not change significantly over the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Nationally the unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage point to reach 9.6 percent in 2010. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Denis M. McSweeney noted that New England's unemployment rate was measurably lower than the national average for the third consecutive year in 2010. The jobless rate in New England has rarely exceeded the U.S. average in the 35 years this data has been collected. (See chart A.)

New England is one of nine geographic divisions in the United States. Jobless rates in the divisions ranged from a low of 7.3 percent in the West North Central to a high of 11.7 percent in the Pacific in 2010. Four divisions, including New England, recorded annual average unemployment rates that were significantly lower than that for the nation. Three divisions had rates appreciably above the U.S. average—the Pacific, the East North Central, and the South Atlantic. (See table 2.)

Five of the nine geographic divisions reported statistically significant over-the-year unemployment rate increases in 2010 ranging from a 0.9-percentage point in the Mountain to a 0.4-percentage point in the Middle Atlantic.

Five of the six states that make up the New England division had jobless rates appreciably different from the U.S. average in 2010. New Hampshire (6.1 percent), Vermont (6.2 percent), Maine (7.9 percent), and Massachusetts (8.5 percent) had rates significantly lower than that for the nation. These 4 states were among 27 states in the country to report measurably lower rates. In contrast, Rhode Island (11.6 percent) posted the highest unemployment rate in New England and the fourth- highest jobless rate nationwide. Rhode Island was among 10 states nationwide to report a jobless rate significantly above that for the United States and was 1 of 8 states to report the highest jobless rate in their annual series. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia posted unemployment rates that were not measurably different than that for the nation in 2010. (See table 1.)

Three New England states posted statistically significant jobless rate changes over the year in 2010. The rates in Connecticut and Rhode Island each rose 0.8 percentage point. Conversely, the unemployment rate in Vermont fell 0.7 percentage point. Nationally, 18 states posted statistically significant unemployment rate increases over the year, the largest occurring in Nevada (+2.4 percentage points), while 4 states posted measurable decreases with Michigan and Minnesota each falling 0.8 percentage point.

Technical Note

This release presents labor force and unemployment data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program. Estimates for the U.S. are obtained directly from the CPS, which is a monthly sample survey of approximately 60,000 households nationwide that is conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the Census Bureau. 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 2006. Data for regions, divisions, states, and the District of Columbia are available back to 1976.

The LAUS program produces data for the nine geographic divisions in the United States: New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, East South Central, West South Central, East North Central, West North Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Data for all divisions, as well as the 50 states, are available in the Regional and State Unemployment release www.bls.gov/lau/home.htm#news. Analysis in this news release reflects the use of model-based error measures when making comparisons with the U.S. and the prior year. BLS uses a 90-percent confidence level in determining whether changes or differences in subnational unemployment rates are statistically significant. Model-based error measures are available on the BLS Web site at www.bls.gov/lau/lastderr.htm.

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (617) 565-2072, Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339.

¹Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded data.

Note: Data refer to place of residence. Unemployment rates are in percent and are based on unrounded levels.

Data for subnational areas reflect revised population controls and model reestimation. As a result, they will not add to U.S. totals.

Regions are defined as the four Census regions, comprised as follows: Northeast Region includes the New England Division - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; and the Middle Atlantic Division - New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. South Region includes the South Atlantic Division - Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East South Central Division - Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; and West South Central Division - Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Midwest Region includes the East North Central Division - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; and the West North Central Division - Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. West Region includes the Mountain Division - Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and the Pacific Division - Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

¹ Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded data. Note: 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 in percent and are based on unrounded levels.