Jobless Rate in Western US States Rises Above 10 Percent

Over the years the unemployment rate has been a key indicator for measuring the US economy.  However theses numbers are easily scewed and remember self employed people who are out of work are not factored into this number.

The AP reported unemployment rate in the West jumped over 10% last month, the first time that regional threshold has been broken in about 25 years. On the state level, eight set record-highs and only two Nebraska and Vermont did not report increases.

The Labor Department reported Friday that 48 states and the District of Columbia saw employment conditions deteriorate last month. The fallout from the longest recession since World War II, was the worst in Michigan as automakers cut tens of thousands of jobs. Its unemployment rate rose to 14.1%.

The West region reported the highest jobless rate at 10.1%. The last time any region had a rate of at least 10% was September 1983, when the country was emerging from a severe recession.  The region is home to California, where the jobless rate rose to a record 11.5 % last month, Nevada, where it’s a record 11.3%, and other states that have been slammed when the housing boom went bust snatching jobs and wealth.  

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