Here's a look at the states with the best unemployment rates -- and the worst
unemployment rates.
In an analysis from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for February 2008 -- the latest
data available -- of civilian employment, here are the top five states with the
least amount of unemployment, as well as the five with the worst amount of unemployment.
States with the lowest unemployment levels:
South Dakota - 3.1 percent
Nebraska - 3.2 percent
Utah - 3.3 percent
Wyoming - 3.4 percent
New Mexico - 3.5 percent
States with the highest level of unemployment:
Michigan - 7.8 percent
Alaska - 7.8 percent
Rhode Island - 6.7 percent
Kentucky - 6.2 percent
California - 6.1 percent
California is by far the most volatile state for unemployment, with eight
metropolitan areas with greater than 10 percent unemployment
(Bakersfield, El Centro, Fresno, Hanford-Corcoran, Merced, Modesto,
Salinas, and Yuba City) and several below five percent unemployment
(Napa, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, and
Stockton).
