scorecard21 states where recession bells are ringing after unemployment jumps
  1. Home
  2. policy
  3. economy
  4. news
  5. 21 states where recession bells are ringing after unemployment jumps

21 states where recession bells are ringing after unemployment jumps

Theron Mohamed   

21 states where recession bells are ringing after unemployment jumps
Rising unemployment in 21 US states points to a recession later this year, Piper Sandler's Nancy Lazar says.Peter Zelei Images/Getty Images
  • Rising unemployment in nearly half of US states points to a recession this year, one economist says.
  • 21 states have seen a jump in joblessness over the last year, Piper Sandler's Nancy Lazar told BI.

Unemployment has risen sharply in nearly half of US states, paving the way for a recession later this year, one top economist says.

Piper Sandler's chief global economist, Nancy Lazar, highlighted 21 states to Business Insider where three-month average unemployment has risen by at least 0.5 percentage points over the past 12 months. The states in question account for over 40% of US GDP.

When unemployment has jumped by that much, in that many states, a recession has almost always followed, Lazar said. The economic indicator is known as the "Sahm Rule."

Here are the 21 states signaling a recession may be on the way:

1. Rhode Island

1. Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island.      Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.03%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 2.63%

Change: +1.40%

2. Connecticut

2. Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut.      Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.47%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.33%

Change: +1.13%

3. Washington

3. Washington
Shutterstock/Edmund Lowe Photography

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.77%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.80%

Change: +0.97%

4. Louisiana

4. Louisiana
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.30%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.37%

Change: +0.93%

5. Maine

5. Maine
Boats docked in Portland, Maine.      Darryl Brooks/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.27%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 2.40%

Change: +0.87%

6. New Hampshire

6. New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire.      Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 2.60%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 1.80%

Change: +0.80%

7. California

7. California
San Francisco, California.      Alexander Spatari/Getty Images

Three-month average unemployment rate: 5.30%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 4.50%

Change: +0.80%

8. West Virginia

8. West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia.      Shutterstock.com

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.30%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.50%

Change: +0.80%

9. Oregon

9. Oregon
Salem, Oregon.      Shutterstock/Victoria Ditkovsky

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.20%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.43%

Change: +0.77%

10. Alabama

10. Alabama
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.03%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 2.30%

Change: +0.73%

11. New Jersey

11. New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey.      Walter Hickey / BI

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.77%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 4.03%

Change: +0.73%

12. Montana

12. Montana
Helena, Montana.      Matt Volz/AP Photo

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.27%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 2.53%

Change: +0.73%

13. Alaska

13. Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska.      Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.60%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.87%

Change: +0.73%

14. Arkansas

14. Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas.      Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.50%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 2.83%

Change: +0.67%

15. Colorado

15. Colorado
Denver, Colorado.      Albert Pego/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.63%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.00%

Change: +0.63%

16. Maryland

16. Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland.      Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 2.50%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 1.90%

Change: +0.60%

17. Illinois

17. Illinois
Chicago, Illinois.      Luis Boucault/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.80%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 4.20%

Change: +0.60%

18. Oklahoma

18. Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.      Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.53%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 2.97%

Change: +0.57%

19. Kentucky

19. Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky.      Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 4.50%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 4.00%

Change: +0.50%

20. Ohio

20. Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio.      aceshot1/Shutterstock

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.83%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 3.33%

Change: +0.50%

21. Missouri

21. Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri.      DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images

Three-month average unemployment rate: 3.33%

Lowest unemployment rate in past 12 months: 2.83%

Change: +0.50%

Advertisement