by Calculated Risk on 4/19/2011 10:00:00 AM

From the BLS: Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in March. Thirty four states recorded unemployment rate decreases, seven states registered rate increases, and nine states and the District of Columbia had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
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Nevada continued to register the highest unemployment rate among the states, 13.2 percent in March. The states with the next highest rates were California, 12.0 percent, Florida, 11.1 percent, and Rhode Island, 11.0 percent. North Dakota reported the lowest jobless rate, 3.6 percent, followed by Nebraska and South Dakota, 4.2 and 4.9 percent, respectively.

The following graph shows the current unemployment rate for each state (red), and the max during the recession (blue). If there is no blue, the state is currently at the maximum during the recession.

Click on graph for larger image in graph gallery.

The states are ranked by the highest current unemployment rate.

The auto states - led by Michigan - seem to have seen the most improvement (blue area).

Two states are still at the recession maximum (no improvement): Idaho and Louisiana.