Unemployment in Some States is Over 15 Percent
The unemployment rate in June passed the threshold of 10 percent in 16 U.S. states, while in Michigan the unemployment rate went over 15 percent. This is the first time a state has registered that high an unemployment rate since 1984, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
In comparison, in May, the unemployment rate was above 10 percent in 13 states plus the District of Columbia.
The unemployment rate of 15.2 percent registered by the state of Michigan in June is the largest in the U.S., but the record for this state was 16.9 percent in November 1982. However, U.S. Labor Department emphasized that it for the first time in the past 25 years since a U.S. registered an unemployment rate above 15 percent. West Virginia reached this level in 1984.
At the national level, the unemployment rate lies at 9.5 percent, the highest point in the past 26 years. Economists estimate that by the end of the year the nation’s jobless rate will pass 10 percent.
There were some bright spots, however. Construction of new U.S. homes rose in June at the highest level in the last seven months, and the number of building permits issued also recorded an upward trend, a sign that the construction industry is climbing out of the current crisis.