Midwest States Outpace Nation in Employment Ratios

In a report issued this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Midwestern states showed the highest ratios of people employed in relation to the population of the state compared to the rest of the nation. North Dakota had the highest employment-population ratio with 70.8 percent. Other Midwestern states with high ratios included Nebraska with 68.9 percent, Iowa with 67.3 percent, Minnesota with 67 percent, and South Dakota with 66.9 percent. A total of nine states in the region had comparatively higher ratios than the rest of the country. The report was compiled from unemployment data from the U.S. Department of Labor based on annual averages for 2014. The bureau said the annual average employment–population ratios rose in 35 states and the District of Columbia, and declined in 12 states. Three states were unchanged. In regard to the largest gainers, Hawaii and Indiana showed the greatest year-over-year gains with 1.4 percentage point increases each. West Virginia posted the lowest employment-population ratio in the nation with 49.7 percent. It’s not surprising that the Midwest garners large employment ratios. In January, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s “Midwest Economy Index” rose to 0.52 in November from a prior reading of 0.36 in October. The index is

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