October 14, 2005
New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2005 was 3.8 percent. This was an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the August rate, which was unchanged with revision. The September 2004 seasonally adjusted rate was 3.5 percent.

Seasonally adjusted estimates for September 2005 placed the number of employed residents at 713,600 a decrease of 890 from the previous month and an increase of 15,340 from September 2004. The number of unemployed residents increased 2,380 over-the-month to 28,450. This was 2,760 more unemployed than in September 2004. From August 2005 to September 2005, the total labor force increased by 1,490 to 742,050. This was an increase of 18,100 from September 2004.

The unadjusted September 2005 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 3.6 percent. This was an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the August 2005 rate, which was unchanged with revision. The September 2004 unadjusted rate was 3.3 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2005 was 5.1 percent, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the August 2005 rate and a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the September 2004 rate. The national unadjusted rate for September 2005 was 4.8 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the August 2005 rate and a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the September 2004 rate.

NOTE: State nonfarm employment estimates are available on our Internet Web site: www.nhes.state.nh.us/elmi/ concurrent with this release. Local area unemployment rates are expected to be available on Thursday, October 27. All monthly data will continue to be published in the monthly newsletter Economic Conditions in New Hampshire.