Unemployment levels aren’t back to pre-pandemic levels yet, but they are getting close.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says unemployment rates in 48 states and D.C. in April were all lower than they were in April 2020, when the impact of the pandemic on the labor market was beginning to materialize.
Nonfarm employment in April was higher than it was one year ago in all states and D.C.
In the District, the unemployment rate in April was 7.5%, down from 7.7% in March. Virginia’s unemployment rate fell to 4.7% from 5.1% in March. Maryland’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.2%.
All rates are seasonally adjusted.
Hawaii had the highest state unemployment rate in April, at 8.5%, followed by California at 8.3%, and New Mexico and New York, at 8.2% each.
The lowest state unemployment rates in April were in South Dakota and Utah, at 2.8% each.
In total, 27 states had unemployment rates lower than the national April unemployment rate of 6.1%. The Labor Department will report the national May unemployment rate on June 4.
