Recession blows over the Midwest- May 2009 report

Treasure Map of Jobs – where you have the best chance of finding a job

Most states suffering an increase in unemployment

Four states remain a bulwark against a recession that has led to despair in other parts of the United States. These states with steady, traditional economies have kept their jobless rates down and remain the ideal places to find employment . The lowest unemployment rate in the country remains North Dakota, tied with Nebraska for an amazingly low 4.4 percent unemployment rate. This is followed by Wyoming and South Dakota, both with unemployment rates at 5.0 percent.

For the rest of the country, the news is getting darker.

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 14.1 percent. This is still a far cry from depression-era jobless rates, but it is a full 1.5 percent worse than two months earlier, and there is no light shining at the end of the tunnel.

Thirteen other states are also suffering very high unemployment rates over 10 percent. That is 4 more states than two months earlier.

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