Record Unemployment Rates in 8 States

Michigan again reported the highest jobless rate, 14.1 percent in
May. The states with the next highest rates were Oregon, 12.4 percent;
Rhode Island and South Carolina, 12.1 percent each; California, 11.5
percent; Nevada, 11.3 percent; and North Carolina, 11.1 percent. Six
additional states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment
rates of at least 10.0 percent. The California, Nevada, North Carolina,
Oregon, Rhode Island, and South Carolina rates were the highest on re-
cord for those states. Florida, at 10.2 percent, and Georgia, at 9.7
percent, also posted series highs. Nebraska and North Dakota registered
the lowest unemployment rates, 4.4 percent each. Overall, 12 states
and the District of Columbia had significantly higher jobless rates than
the U.S. figure of 9.4 percent, 29 states reported measurably lower rates,
and 9 states had rates little different from that of the nation.