Data / Rankings / Employment-population ratio / US states

US states by employment-population ratio

Nebraska had the highest employment-population ratio of 51 states in August 2025, at 68.1%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 52.1%. The median was 60.1% and the figure for the United States was 59.6%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest68.1Nebraska
Lowest52.1West Virginia
Median60.151 states
United States59.6History

All states, August 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

NebraskaNebraska: 68.1 %68.1North DakotaNorth Dakota: 67.9 %67.9District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 66.9 %66.9South DakotaSouth Dakota: 66.8 %66.8MinnesotaMinnesota: 65.6 %65.6IowaIowa: 65.4 %65.4KansasKansas: 65.4 %65.4UtahUtah: 65.4 %65.4ColoradoColorado: 64.4 %64.4MassachusettsMassachusetts: 63.5 %63.5New HampshireNew Hampshire: 63.3 %63.3AlaskaAlaska: 62.6 %62.6VermontVermont: 62.3 %62.3TexasTexas: 62.1 %62.1WisconsinWisconsin: 62.1 %62.1VirginiaVirginia: 61.9 %61.9MarylandMaryland: 61.8 %61.8ConnecticutConnecticut: 61.4 %61.4IndianaIndiana: 61.4 %61.4Rhode IslandRhode Island: 61.3 %61.3IllinoisIllinois: 61.1 %61.1MissouriMissouri: 61 %61OklahomaOklahoma: 61 %61IdahoIdaho: 60.9 %60.9MontanaMontana: 60.2 %60.2New JerseyNew Jersey: 60.1 %60.1WashingtonWashington: 59.8 %59.8NevadaNevada: 59.7 %59.7OregonOregon: 59.7 %59.7OhioOhio: 59.6 %59.6ArizonaArizona: 59.4 %59.4HawaiiHawaii: 59.3 %59.3WyomingWyoming: 59.3 %59.3CaliforniaCalifornia: 59 %59PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 58.8 %58.8GeorgiaGeorgia: 58.7 %58.7TennesseeTennessee: 58.5 %58.5New YorkNew York: 58.4 %58.4MichiganMichigan: 58 %58MaineMaine: 57.8 %57.8North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 57.1 %57.1DelawareDelaware: 56.8 %56.8ArkansasArkansas: 56.3 %56.3AlabamaAlabama: 55.9 %55.9South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 55.7 %55.7KentuckyKentucky: 55.6 %55.6LouisianaLouisiana: 55.6 %55.6FloridaFlorida: 55.3 %55.3New MexicoNew Mexico: 55.2 %55.2MississippiMississippi: 53.7 %53.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 52.1 %52.1
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesAugust 2025 (%)Change on August 2024
1Nebraska68.1+0.6 pts
2North Dakota67.9+0.2 pts
3District of Columbia66.9-1.8 pts
4South Dakota66.80 pts
5Minnesota65.6-0.4 pts
6Iowa65.4+0.6 pts
6Kansas65.4+0.4 pts
6Utah65.4-0.9 pts
9Colorado64.4-0.5 pts
10Massachusetts63.5-0.3 pts
11New Hampshire63.3-0.5 pts
12Alaska62.6+0.4 pts
13Vermont62.3-1.1 pts
14Texas62.1-0.1 pts
14Wisconsin62.1-1.2 pts
16Virginia61.9-1.3 pts
17Maryland61.8-1.2 pts
18Connecticut61.4-0.9 pts
18Indiana61.4+0.2 pts
20Rhode Island61.3-0.4 pts
21Illinois61.1-0.7 pts
22Missouri61-0.2 pts
22Oklahoma610 pts
24Idaho60.9-0.7 pts
25Montana60.2-1 pts
26New Jersey60.1-0.9 pts
27Washington59.8-0.6 pts
28Nevada59.7+0.3 pts
28Oregon59.7-0.2 pts
30Ohio59.6-0.4 pts
31Arizona59.4-0.2 pts
32Hawaii59.3+0.6 pts
32Wyoming59.3-1.5 pts
34California59+0.1 pts
35Pennsylvania58.8-0.7 pts
36Georgia58.7-0.7 pts
37Tennessee58.5+0.5 pts
38New York58.4+0.1 pts
39Michigan58-0.9 pts
40Maine57.8-0.6 pts
41North Carolina57.1-0.9 pts
42Delaware56.8-0.8 pts
43Arkansas56.30 pts
44Alabama55.90 pts
45South Carolina55.7-0.3 pts
46Kentucky55.6+0.1 pts
46Louisiana55.60 pts
48Florida55.3-1.1 pts
49New Mexico55.2-0.1 pts
50Mississippi53.7+0.2 pts
51West Virginia52.1-0.8 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Employed people as a percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and older.

Seasonally adjusted. US national figures come from the Current Population Survey; state figures are LAUS model-based estimates. The population excludes active-duty military personnel and people living in institutions. The age range and population scope differ from the existing employment-rate indicator.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment-population ratio, civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted, state LAUS measure 07. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.3.AllStatesS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which state has the highest employment-population ratio?

Nebraska, with 68.1% in August 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest employment-population ratio?

West Virginia, with 52.1% in August 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment-population ratio, civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted, state LAUS measure 07. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

US states: more rankings