New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2020 was 2.6 percent, unchanged from the February rate, which remained at 2.6 percent after revision. The March 2019 seasonally adjusted rate was 2.5 percent.

It is important to keep in mind that the March survey reference periods for the household and establishment surveys (the week or pay period, respectively, that includes the 12th of the month) predated many business and school closures that occurred in the second half of the month.

Seasonally adjusted estimates for March 2020 placed the number of employed residents at 748,970, a decrease of 10,630 from the previous month and a decrease of 2,290 from March 2019. The number of unemployed residents decreased by 320 over-the-month to 19,620. This was 190 more unemployed than in March 2019. From February to March 2020, the total labor force decreased by 10,950 to 768,590. This was a decrease of 2,100 from March 2019.

The unadjusted March 2020 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 2.8 percent, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the February rate, which remained at 3.1 percent after revision. The March 2019 unadjusted rate was 2.9 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2020 was 4.4 percent, an increase of 0.9 percentage points from the February rate, and an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the March 2019 rate. The national unadjusted rate for March 2020 was 4.5 percent, an increase of 0.7 percentage points from the February rate, and an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the March 2019 rate.

NOTE: State nonfarm employment estimates are available on our Internet Web site: www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi is concurrent with this release. Local area unemployment rates are expected to be available on Thursday, April 23. All monthly data will continue to be published in the monthly newsletter New Hampshire Economic Conditions.