Even Midwest jobs are getting less secure - July 2009 report

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Unemployment in most states gets worse

Despite being a bulwark against job losses, the Midwest is starting to show signs of increased unemployment. Whatever light might be at the end of the tunnel, July jobless rates show that the job market has been getting worse across the United States. States like Michigan and Nevada are suffering more than ever. And the recession-resistant states are slowly seeing higher rates of unemployment, too.

Once again, Michigan is the dark blotch on the map, where unemployment is highest of all. The auto sector troubles continue to leave Michigan with the highest unemployment rate in the country, at 15 percent. And all the major states like Texas, California, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Florida have higher unemployment rates than just two months ago.

Sixteen states have higher than 10 percent unemployment. That is two more states than two months earlier, and six states more than four months earlier.

North Dakota remains the bright spot. Not only does it have the lowest unemployment rate, but it also is one of the few states to improve belween may and July.

The unemployment rates referenced here are for July, 2009, the latest available statistics from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics are from July, 2009.