by Calculated Risk on 9/21/2012 10:49:00 AM

From the BLS: Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in August. Twenty-six states recorded unemployment rate increases, 12 states and the District of Columbia posted rate decreases, and 12 states had no change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
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Nevada continued to record the highest unemployment rate among the states, 12.1 percent in August. Rhode Island and California posted the next highest rates, 10.7 and 10.6 percent, respectively. North Dakota again registered the lowest jobless rate, 3.0 percent.

Click on graph for larger image in graph gallery.

This graph shows the current unemployment rate for each state (red), and the max during the recession (blue). Two states - New Jersey and New York - are at the maximum unemployment rate for the recession, and New Jersey set a new cycle high in August at 9.9%.

The states are ranked by the highest current unemployment rate. Only three states still have double digit unemployment rates: Nevada, Rhode Island, and California. This is the fewest since January 2009, although New Jersey is close. In early 2010, 18 states and D.C. had double digit unemployment rates.

All current employment graphs