Unemployment Rate by state

The chart below shows the unemployment rate by state as of October, 2008. There are many areas of weakness including the midwest (Michigan, Ohio, Illinois), the South (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi), and the West (California, Oregon, & Nevada). In my opinion the Midwest has been hit by a large manufacturing slow-down, while the South & West is seeing a cut-back in construction and a slumping housing market.