Key Points:
- Unemployment rates fell in 18 states, rose in the District of Columbia, and remained stable in 32 states in March.
- The U.S. unemployment rate was little changed at 3.5% in March.
- Nine states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rates above the U.S. average in March.
- South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate at 1.9%, followed by Nebraska and North Dakota at 2.1%, and Alabama and Montana at 2.3%.
- The rates in Alabama (2.3%), Arkansas (3.0%), Maryland (2.7%), Mississippi (3.5%), Montana (2.3%), West Virginia (3.4%), and Wisconsin (2.5%) set new series lows.
- Nevada has the highest unemployment rate at 5.5%, followed by the District at 4.8%, and Washington at 4.5%.
- In March, 18 states had over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, the largest of which were in New Hampshire, Oregon, and West Virginia, each declining 0.3%.