a state with the most people will have more job loss (or job gain) than a state with less people. It’s not shocking.
Actually unemployment is presented in percentage, so population size doesn’t really figure into it. Several states with huge populations are doing a lot better than CA (TX, NY, FL). Also, why would Rhode Island (a tiny state in both area and population) have such high unemployment if it’s dependent on size? I’m not sure what really explains the higher rate in CA — higher cost of living and doing business maybe? Businesses especially have such high taxes here than when times get tough they have to let people go.