Table 35
Average Duration of Unemployment Benefits (Weeks), 1997-98
Rank	State	Amt.		Rank	State	Amt.
1	Dist. of Columbia	20.0		27	Montana	13.2
2	Washington	18.1		28	Ohio	13.1
3	NEW YORK	17.6		29	Wisconsin	13.1
4	Maine	17.3		30	Wyoming	13.1
5	Illinois	16.8		31	Rhode Island	13.0
6	Hawaii	16.7		32	Kansas	12.8
7	New Jersey	16.5		33	Missouri	12.8
8	California	16.2		34	Arkansas	12.4
9	Maryland	16.0		35	Oklahoma	12.4
10	Massachusetts	15.9		36	Colorado	12.2
11	Pennsylvania	15.8		37	Idaho	12.0
12	New Mexico	15.3		38	Nebraska	11.8
13	Texas	15.0		39	Iowa	11.7
14	Connecticut	14.9		40	Kentucky	11.5
15	Louisiana	14.8		41	Tennessee	11.4
16	North Dakota	14.6		42	Utah	11.4
17	Alaska	14.5		43	Indiana	11.1
18	Delaware	14.5		44	Michigan	11.1
19	Minnesota	14.4		45	New Hampshire	10.6
20	Oregon	14.2		46	South Carolina	10.6
21	Nevada	14.0		47	South Dakota	10.3
22	Vermont	14.0		48	Virginia	10.1
23	Arizona	13.7		49	Alabama	9.8
24	Florida	13.5		50	North Carolina	9.4
25	Mississippi	13.5		51	Georgia	9.2
26	West Virginia	13.3		U.S. average		14.3
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
The average UI benefit duration in New York has fallen 13% in the past two years, while the U.S. average has dropped 3%.