Colorado unemployment rate drops to 4.3 percent in July

Unemployment was lowest in Charleston and Lexington counties, which both posted rates of 5.3 percent.

July’s unemployment rate for the entire country was 5.3 percent and has been trending lower that North Carolina’s.

Since July 2014, the Golden State has added 494,300 net new jobs, a pace of 3.2% that outstrips the national average of 2.1%.

Unemployment rates fell in 24 U.S. states last month, including some of those with early presidential nominating contests.

The hiring binge has steadily pushed down the jobless rate, which stood at 5.8 percent a year ago and has now fallen to 4.7 percent. The largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment occurred in North Dakota (-0.5 percent), followed by Hawaii, Kansas, New Jersey, and West Virginia (-0.3 percent each). Major industries experiencing decreases were construction, 500; and leisure and hospitality services, 200.

Nevada has added about 45,000 jobs in the past year, with nearly half the gains occurring in hotels, restaurants and casinos.

Nonfarm employment rose more than 7,800 over the year to hit 998,779 in July, the state said.

A statement from Washington says stagnant or increasing unemployment isn’t unusual when school employees are out of work during the summer.

Mississippi showed strong July payroll growth, as the state’s unemployment rate kept falling. Participants in the July 28-29 Federal Open Market Committee meeting said economic conditions “were approaching that point” where the economy could sustain a slight increase in borrowing costs, according to minutes of the meeting released in Washington on Wednesday. The proposed changes would require jobless workers to contact at least five employers a week to continue receiving benefits, up from two under current law. There were 700 fewer people employed in July than there were a year ago, but there also were almost 1,400 fewer people unemployed.