Unemployment Rates Seasonally Adjusted - May 2009 Not Seasonally Adjusted - May 2009 United States 9.4% United States 9.1% New Hampshire 6.5% New Hampshire 6.4%

June 15, 2009

New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May 2009 was 6.5 percent, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the April rate, which was unchanged with revision. The May 2008 seasonally adjusted rate was 3.7 percent.

Seasonally adjusted estimates for May 2009 placed the number of employed residents at 693,110, a decrease of 3,900 from the previous month and a decrease of 18,480 from May 2008. The number of unemployed residents increased by 1,160 over-the-month to 48,150. This was 20,860 more unemployed than in May 2008. From April 2009 to May 2009, the total labor force decreased by 2,740 to 741,260. This was an increase of 2,380 from May 2008.

The unadjusted May 2009 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 6.4 percent, unchanged from the April rate, which was unchanged with revision. The May 2008 unadjusted rate was 3.6 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May 2009 was 9.4 percent, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the April 2009 rate and an increase of 3.9 percentage points from the May 2008 rate. The national unadjusted rate for May 2009 was 9.1 percent, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the April 2009 rate and an increase of 3.9 percentage points from the May 2008 rate.

NOTE: State nonfarm employment estimates are available on our Internet Web site: www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi concurrent with this release. Local area unemployment rates are expected to be available on Thursday, June 25. All monthly data will continue to be published in the monthly newsletter New Hampshire Economic Conditions.