St. Louis Beacon - Job Talk: Annual jobless rate for 2009 up nationwide

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Job Talk: Annual jobless rate for 2009 up nationwide

By Mary Delach Leonard, Beacon staff

Posted 3:58 am Wed., 3.3.10

Published 10:10 a.m. Wed., 03.03.10 - The final numbers on 2009's unemployment pain confirm just how widespread it was, with annual average rates rising in all regions, divisions and states, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

The national average climbed by 3.5 percentage points from 2008 -- to 9.3 percent.
In Missouri, the annual rate jumped to 9.3 from 6.1 in 2008, an over-the-year change of 3.2.
In Illinois, the annual rate spiked to 10.1 from 6.4 in 2008, an over-the year rate change of 3.7.
For the fourth straight year, Michigan topped the nation with an annual unemployment rate of 13.6 percent in 2009.

By region, the greatest job loss was in the West, which reported an annual increase in unemployment of 3.8 percentage points to 10.1 percent. The Midwest followed with a jump of 3.6 points to 9.6 percent.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia reported significant increases, led by Michigan's 5.3 increase over 2008. Nevada was second with an increase of 5.1 -- to 11.8 percent. North Dakota reported the lowest annual jobless rate in 2009, at 4.3 percent.

The annual averages of regional and state unemployment are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national unemployment rate in January 2010 was 9.7 percent; regional and state jobless numbers for January will be announced on March 10.

The report, originally due on Feb. 26, was held up by the winter snowstorms that shut down federal government offices in early February.

Contact Beacon staff writer Mary Delach Leonard.

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