10 States That Added the Most Jobs in the First Half of 2011

Ten states added over 25,000 jobs each in the period from January to June 2011. The list was topped by Texas, which added over 117,000. Among the 10, the total net job addition was 517,000. This number may not seem large, but it is, compared to the 18,000 non-farm payroll additions across the entire U.S. in the month of June.

10. Oklahoma

• 2011 Job Growth, January - June: 27,900
• January Unemployment: 6.6 percent (10th lowest)
• June Unemployment: 5.3 percent (fifth lowest)
• Net Job Change (January 2008 - December 2010): -59,000 (32nd worst loss)

The oil and natural gas industry is Oklahoma's "number one defining industry," according to Russell Evans, executive director of the Steven C. Agee Economic Research and Policy Institute at Oklahoma City University. Although 13,000 jobs were lost within the industry between October 2008 and 2009, 4,000 jobs have since been added. These are jobs are directly within the sector. According to Oklahoma Energy Resource Board, 300,000 jobs in Oklahoma are either directly or indirectly supported by the oil and gas industry. That is approximately one in every seven workers.

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9. Wisconsin

• 2011 Job Growth, January - June: 26,900
• January Unemployment: 7.4 percent (14th lowest)
• June Unemployment: 7.6 percent (18th lowest)
• Net Job Change (January 2008 - December 2010): -158,700 (17th worst loss)

Wisconsin has steadily added jobs over the past six months, improving by nearly 30,000 workers by June. It was also one of the minority of states not to lose jobs in June. As one of the leading farming states in the country, Wisconsin has benefited from the booming agricultural commodity market, although the biggest industry is actually manufacturing. In response to the jobs added last month, Department of Workforce Development Secretary Scott Baumbach said, "Job seekers and employers alike are reaping the economic benefits of the business-friendly environment that Governor Walker is advancing, and we encourage job seekers to keep pursuing these new employment opportunities."

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8. Illinois

• 2011 Job Growth, January - June: 27,900
• January Unemployment: 9 percent (23rd highest)
• June Unemployment: 9.2 percent (18th highest)
• Net Job Change (January 2008 - December 2010): -371,300 (fifth worst loss)

Although unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points from May 2011 to June 2011, the total number of jobs in the state has increased over the year. In May 2010 unemployment was at an alarming 10.5 percent. Jobs were since added in the manufacturing, food and finance sectors. During the May 2011 downturn, 1,100 jobs were added in the construction industry and 900 jobs to the manufacturing industry.

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7. New Jersey

• 2011 Job Growth, January - June: 35,100
• January Unemployment: 9.1 percent (21st highest)
• June Unemployment: 9.5 percent (13th highest)
• Net Job Change (January 2008 - December 2010): -249,900 (ninth worst loss)

New Jersey gained more than 35,000 jobs in the first six months of this year after losing nearly a quarter million between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2010. Most of these jobs came in the beginning of the year, and hiring has dropped off substantially over the course of the year. While the state added jobs in June, the net increase was only 1,700. According to a report in the Asbury Park Press, New Jersey wouldn't recover all of the jobs it lost during the recession until 2018, if it continues to increase at that rate. The article reports that while the state has added jobs, it has been unable to recover at the rate of some other states because of its weakness in manufacturing.

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By 24/7 Wall St.
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