The United States is rebounding from the worst shock job market shock since the Great Depression, but the recovery isn’t spread evenly across the country. Massachusetts remained the state with the highest unemployment rate — 16.1% — and three states set new record highs in July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday.
The unemployment rates for Connecticut, New Mexico and New York reached new highs since record-keeping for state unemployment began in 1976.
New York’s 15.9% jobless rate was the second highest in the country in July. New Mexico had the biggest increase to its jobless rate, to 12.7% from 8.4%.
Meanwhile, some states are adding back jobs that vanished during the pandemic lockdown. Unemployment levels improved in 30 states last month, and remained stable in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Michigan registered the biggest decrease.
At only 4.5%, Utah has the lowest rate in the country, followed by Nebraska and Idaho.
This is a developing story. It will be updated.
