new england and state unemployment – 2012

The annual average unemployment rate in New England, at 7.2 percent in 2012, fell 0.6 percentage point over the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Nationally the unemployment rate fell 0.8 percentage point, to 8.1 percent in 2012. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Deborah A. Brown noted that New England’s unemployment rate was measurably lower than the national average for the fifth consecutive year in 2012. The jobless rate in New England has rarely exceeded the U.S. average in the 36 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 5.6 percent in the West North Central to a high of 9.8 percent in the Pacific in 2012. Three divisions, including New England, recorded annual average unemployment rates that were significantly lower than that for the nation. Two divisions had rates significantly above the U.S. average--the Pacific, and the Middle Atlantic. (See table 2.)

Eight of the nine geographic divisions reported statistically significant over-the-year unemployment rate changes in 2012, all of which were decreases. The largest of these occurred in the East South Central (-1.3 percentage points) followed by the Pacific (-1.2 points).

Five of the six states that make up the New England division had jobless rates appreciably different from the U.S. average in 2012. Vermont (5.0 percent), New Hampshire (5.5 percent), Massachusetts (6.7 percent), and Maine (7.3 percent) had rates significantly lower than that for the nation. These four states were among 27 states in the country to report significantly lower unemployment rates. In contrast, Rhode Island (10.4 percent) posted the highest unemployment rate in New England and was among the three highest jobless rates nationwide. Rhode Island was among 13 states and the District of Columbia to report a jobless rate significantly above that for the United States. Ten states posted unemployment rates that were not measurably different than that for the nation in 2012. (See table 1.)

Four New England states posted statistically significant jobless rate changes over the year in 2012. The rate in Rhode Island fell 0.8 percentage point; Massachusetts and Vermont were down 0.6 point, each; and Connecticut dropped 0.5 point. Nationally, 41 states and the District of Columbia posted statistically significant unemployment rate decreases over the year. The largest decrease occurred in Nevada (-2.1 percentage points), while 14 additional states posted decreases greater than 1.0 percentage point, including: Florida (-1.7 points), Missouri (-1.5 points), and Alabama and Ohio (-1.4 percentage points, each).

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 2007. 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: (202) 691-5200, Federal Relay Services: 1-800-877-8339.

Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population for the U.S., New England, and the New England states, 2011-12 annual averagess

(Numbers in thousands)
Area	Civilian labor force		Employed		Unemployed		Unemployment rate		Error range of rate, 20121
	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012
United States1	153,617	154,975	139,869	142,469	13,747	12,506	8.9	8.1	8.0 - 8.2
New England	7,735	7,720	7,134	7,161	601	560	7.8	7.2	6.9 - 7.5
Connecticut	1,902	1,879	1,733	1,722	169	157	8.9	8.4	7.8 - 8.9
Maine	704	706	649	655	54	52	7.7	7.3	6.8 - 7.9
Massachusetts	3,470	3,475	3,216	3,242	254	234	7.3	6.7	6.2 - 7.3
New Hampshire	738	742	697	701	41	41	5.5	5.5	5.2 - 5.9
Rhode Island	563	560	499	502	63	58	11.2	10.4	9.7 - 11.1
Vermont	359	356	339	339	20	18	5.6	5.0	4.6 - 5.4

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.

Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by region and division, 2011-12 annual averages

(Numbers in thousands)
Census region and division	Civilian labor force		Employed		Unemployed		Unemployment rate		Error range of rate, 20121
	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012	2011	2012
Northeast	28,208	28,389	25,887	26,066	2,321	2,324	8.2	8.2	8.0 - 8.4
New England	7,735	7,720	7,134	7,161	601	560	7.8	7.2	6.9 - 7.5
Middle Atlantic	20,473	20,669	18,753	18,905	1,720	1,764	8.4	8.5	8.3 - 8.8
South	56,160	56,525	51,237	52,174	4,923	4,351	8.8	7.7	7.5 - 7.9
South Atlantic	29,753	30,008	26,999	27,538	2,754	2,469	9.3	8.2	8.0 - 8.4
East South Central	8,709	8,678	7,894	7,978	814	700	9.4	8.1	7.6 - 8.5
West South Central	17,698	17,840	16,343	16,658	1,354	1,182	7.7	6.6	6.4 - 6.9
Midwest	34,265	34,149	31,405	31,631	2,860	2,518	8.3	7.4	7.2 - 7.6
East North Central	23,282	23,200	21,144	21,300	2,139	1,899	9.2	8.2	7.9 - 8.5
West North Central	10,982	10,949	10,261	10,330	721	618	6.6	5.6	5.4 - 5.9
West	35,897	35,986	32,167	32,665	3,730	3,321	10.4	9.2	9.0 - 9.4
Mountain	11,011	11,029	10,030	10,161	981	867	8.9	7.9	7.6 - 8.2
Pacific	24,885	24,957	22,137	22,504	2,748	2,453	11.0	9.8	9.6 - 10.1

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.

Last Modified Date: March 26, 2013

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | New England Information Office, JFK Federal Building Suite E-310, Boston, MA 02203

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