WalletHub

Feb. 6. New unemployment claims decreased slightly week-over-week on Jan. 23 amid high inflation and the threat of a recession.

WalletHub released updated rankings for the States Where Unemployment Claims Are Decreasing the Most. 

NC placed in the middle range at 22nd in the ranking of states where unemployment claims are decreasing the most. Kentucky decreased most, while Utah decreased least.

Key stats

—24 states had unemployment claims last week that were lower than in the previous week: Kentucky, Arkansas, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Rhode Island, Maine, Missouri, Michigan, Idaho, California, Louisiana, Alabama, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Arizona, North Carolina, Delaware, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Washington and Connecticut.

—Every state had unemployment claims last week that were lower than in the same week pre-pandemic (2019) except for Minnesota, Idaho, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, New York, Indiana, Texas, Georgia, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.

—Surprisingly, 13 states – including South Carolina, Colorado, and Utah – had unemployment claims last week that were worse than the same week last year.