The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Since the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009, the U.S. economy has generated 7.8 million jobs. But the gains haven’t been spread evenly across the country.
Some states have boomed. Others have struggled to add jobs.
North Dakota, benefiting from an oil and gas drilling boom, has created nearly 98,000 jobs over the past five years, a 27 percent increase — by far the best in the country. New Mexico, hard hit by federal spending cuts, is the only state that has lost jobs since the recession ended.
State performance in job creation defies political categories. The big winners over the past five years include Republican-dominated red states such as Texas and Democratic-dominated blue ones such as California. Likewise, the laggards include red (Alabama, Arkansas) and blue (New Jersey, New Mexico) states.
The Labor Department released job figures for June on Friday, allowing an assessment of how states have done in this economic recovery.
Compared to May, 33 states added jobs and 17 lost them last month. The unemployment rate dropped in 22 states from May to June, rose in 14 and stayed the same in 14.
Mississippi and Rhode Island have the nation’s highest unemployment rates, both at 7.9 percent. North Dakota has the lowest rate, at 2.7 percent.
The Great Recession, harshest since the 1930s, began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. Most states still don’t have as many jobs as they had when the recession started. All but New Mexico have more than they did when it ended five years ago.
A list showing how the 50 states and Washington D.C. stack up in job creation between June 2009 and June 2014, ranked from fastest to slowest growth in hiring:
Place Jobs in June 2009 Jobs in June 2014 Percentage change
North Dakota 367,000 465,000 +26.6 percent
Texas 10.28 million 11.55 million +12.3 percent
Utah 1.19 million 1.33 million +12.3 percent
Colorado 2.24 million 2.45 million +9.2 percent
Florida 7.22 million 7 .80 million +8.0 percent
Michigan 3.84 million 4.14 million +7.9 percent
Washington D.C. 699,000 754,000 +7.9 percent
Indiana 2.78 million 2.99 million +7.8 percent
California 14.36 million 15.47 million +7.7 percent
Tennessee 2.61 million 2.80 million +7.4 percent
South Carolina 1.81 million 1.933 million +7.1 percent
Oregon 1.61 million 1.72 million +6.7 percent
Washington 2.86 million 3.05 million +6.7 percent
Nevada 1.14 million 1.22 million +6.7 percent
Massachusetts 3.20 million 3.41 million +6.6 percent
Minnesota 2.65 million 2.82 million +6.6 percent
Oklahoma 1.57 million 1.67 million +6.4 percent
USA 130.94 million 138.78 million +6.0 percent
New York 8.52 million 9.03 million +6.0 percent
Montana 429,000 455,000 +5.9 percent
Idaho 609,000 645,000 +5.9 percent
North Carolina 3.90 million 4.12 million +5.7 percent
Arizona 2.43 million 2.55 million +5.2 percent
Ohio 5.04 million 5.31 million +5.2 percent
Delaware 416,000 438,000 +5.2 percent
Kentucky 1.76 million 1.85 million +5.1 percent
Georgia 3.90 million 4.10 million +5.1 percent
Iowa 1.48 million 1.55 million +5.0 percent
Hawaii 593,000 622,000 +4.9 percent
Wisconsin 2.74 million 2.86 million +4.4 percent
Alaska 320,000 334,000 +4.4 percent
South Dakota 403,000 420,000 +4.1 percent
Rhode Island 459,000 477,000 +4.0 percent
Louisiana 1.90 million 1.97 million +3.9 percent
Nebraska 948,000 984,000 +3.8 percent
Maryland 2.52 million 2.62 million +3.7 percent
Kansas 1.34 million 1.38 million +3.4 percent
West Virginia 749,000 774,000 +3.3 percent
Pennsylvania 5.61 million 5.79 million +3.3 percent
Vermont 297,000 306,000 +3.2 percent
Virginia 3.66 million 3.77 million +3.1 percent
Missouri 2.69 million 2.77 million +3.1 percent
Illinois 5.64 million 5.81 million +3.0 percent
New Hampshire 628,000 645,000 +2.7 percent
Maine 596,000 611,000 +2.7 percent
Connecticut 1.62 million 1.67 million +2.6 percent
Wyoming 285,000 292,000 +2.4 percent
Mississippi 1.10 million 1.12 million +2.3 percent
Arkansas 1.16 million 1 .19 million +2.2 percent
New Jersey 3.90 million 3.95 million +1.4 percent
Alabama 1.88 million 1.91 million +1.4 percent
New Mexico 811,000 808,000 -0.4 percent
