States with the best (and worst) job growth

Some states have fared much better than others in reducing their unemployment rates in the past year. Can you guess which boom state was among those that backtracked?

Tennessee (-0.2 percent)

Dan Henry/Chatanooga Times Free Press/AP/File
Donna Van Natten, with The Enterprise Center, left, and Valoria Armstrong with the Tennessee American Water Co. converse during a job fair being held at the Urban League in Chattanooga, Tenn. in April. Tennessee's job growth took the biggest year over year step back, largely due to government layoffs and a swelling workforce.

Civilian labor force population: 3,133,600

May 2013 unemployment rate: 8.3 percent

Tennessee’s unemployment rate has trickled up slightly every month this year, with most of the losses coming from layoffs in the public sector, according to the state’s economists. Government employment dropped 1.4 percent year over year.  Another contributing factor:  the state’s labor force swelled to a record high in May.

10 of 10
You've read 3 of 3 free articles. Subscribe to continue.
CSM logo

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Explore values journalism About us