Table 1
Private-sector Job Growth, September 1999 - September 2000
Rank	State	Amt.		Rank	State	Amt.
1	Florida	4.5%		26	Minnesota	1.6%
2	Nevada	4.5%		27	Massachusetts	1.5%
3	Arizona	4.2%		28	New Jersey	1.5%
4	Idaho	3.0%		29	Wisconsin	1.3%
5	California	3.0%		30	Rhode Island	1.3%
6	Texas	2.8%		31	Connecticut	1.2%
7	Montana	2.8%		32	Oregon	1.2%
8	Colorado	2.6%		33	Maine	1.1%
9	Arkansas	2.5%		34	West Virginia	1.1%
10	NEW YORK	2.4%		35	Missouri	1.1%
11	South Carolina	2.4%		36	Tennessee	1.0%
12	Maryland	2.3%		37	Alaska	1.0%
13	Georgia	2.2%		38	North Carolina	0.8%
14	Delaware	2.1%		39	Louisiana	0.8%
15	Kansas	2.1%		40	Illinois	0.8%
16	Utah	2.1%		41	New Hampshire	0.8%
17	Wyoming	2.1%		42	Michigan	0.6%
18	New Mexico	2.0%		43	Alabama	0.6%
19	Iowa	2.0%		44	Indiana	0.5%
20	Vermont	2.0%		45	Ohio	0.5%
21	Washington	2.0%		46	Pennsylvania	0.4%
Upstate New York		1.9%		47	South Dakota	0.4%
22	Oklahoma	1.9%		48	North Dakota	-0.5%
23	Hawaii	1.8%		49	Nebraska	-1.1%
24	Virginia	1.7%		50	Mississippi	-1.7%
25	Kentucky	1.6%		U.S. average		2.2%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; figures rounded to nearest .1%
New York's job growth, compared to the nation's, has improved dramatically in recent years.