Data / Rankings / Employment-population ratio / US states

US states by employment-population ratio

Nebraska had the highest employment-population ratio of 51 states in December 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 59.7%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest68.1Nebraska
Lowest52.1West Virginia
Median60.151 states
United States59.7History

All states, December 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

NebraskaNebraska: 68.1 %68.1North DakotaNorth Dakota: 68.1 %68.1District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 66.7 %66.7South DakotaSouth Dakota: 66.6 %66.6IowaIowa: 65.6 %65.6KansasKansas: 65.4 %65.4MinnesotaMinnesota: 65.4 %65.4UtahUtah: 65.2 %65.2ColoradoColorado: 64.4 %64.4MassachusettsMassachusetts: 63.2 %63.2New HampshireNew Hampshire: 63.2 %63.2AlaskaAlaska: 62.7 %62.7WisconsinWisconsin: 62.1 %62.1TexasTexas: 62 %62VermontVermont: 62 %62VirginiaVirginia: 61.6 %61.6MarylandMaryland: 61.5 %61.5IndianaIndiana: 61.4 %61.4ConnecticutConnecticut: 61.2 %61.2MissouriMissouri: 61.1 %61.1IllinoisIllinois: 60.9 %60.9Rhode IslandRhode Island: 60.9 %60.9IdahoIdaho: 60.6 %60.6OklahomaOklahoma: 60.6 %60.6New JerseyNew Jersey: 60.3 %60.3MontanaMontana: 60.1 %60.1NevadaNevada: 60 %60OregonOregon: 59.7 %59.7WashingtonWashington: 59.6 %59.6OhioOhio: 59.5 %59.5ArizonaArizona: 59.3 %59.3HawaiiHawaii: 59.3 %59.3CaliforniaCalifornia: 59.1 %59.1PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 59.1 %59.1WyomingWyoming: 59.1 %59.1GeorgiaGeorgia: 58.7 %58.7New YorkNew York: 58.7 %58.7TennesseeTennessee: 58.4 %58.4MaineMaine: 57.8 %57.8MichiganMichigan: 57.7 %57.7North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 57 %57ArkansasArkansas: 56.5 %56.5DelawareDelaware: 56.5 %56.5AlabamaAlabama: 56.1 %56.1LouisianaLouisiana: 56 %56KentuckyKentucky: 55.7 %55.7South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 55.7 %55.7FloridaFlorida: 55.1 %55.1New MexicoNew Mexico: 55.1 %55.1MississippiMississippi: 53.7 %53.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 52.1 %52.1
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesDecember 2025 (%)Change on December 2024
1Nebraska68.1+0.4 pts
1North Dakota68.1+0.4 pts
3District of Columbia66.7-2 pts
4South Dakota66.6-0.2 pts
5Iowa65.6+0.5 pts
6Kansas65.4+0.3 pts
6Minnesota65.4-0.6 pts
8Utah65.2-0.9 pts
9Colorado64.4-0.3 pts
10Massachusetts63.2-0.7 pts
10New Hampshire63.2-0.4 pts
12Alaska62.7+0.4 pts
13Wisconsin62.1-0.9 pts
14Texas62-0.2 pts
14Vermont62-1.2 pts
16Virginia61.6-1.3 pts
17Maryland61.5-1.3 pts
18Indiana61.40 pts
19Connecticut61.2-1 pts
20Missouri61.10 pts
21Illinois60.9-0.9 pts
21Rhode Island60.9-0.6 pts
23Idaho60.6-0.8 pts
23Oklahoma60.6-0.5 pts
25New Jersey60.3-0.3 pts
26Montana60.1-0.6 pts
27Nevada60+0.6 pts
28Oregon59.7-0.1 pts
29Washington59.6-0.6 pts
30Ohio59.5-0.4 pts
31Arizona59.3-0.2 pts
31Hawaii59.3+0.3 pts
33California59.1+0.2 pts
33Pennsylvania59.10 pts
33Wyoming59.1-1.2 pts
36Georgia58.7-0.4 pts
36New York58.7+0.4 pts
38Tennessee58.4+0.2 pts
39Maine57.8-0.3 pts
40Michigan57.7-0.9 pts
41North Carolina57-0.6 pts
42Arkansas56.5+0.3 pts
42Delaware56.5-1 pts
44Alabama56.1+0.1 pts
45Louisiana56+0.5 pts
46Kentucky55.7+0.2 pts
46South Carolina55.7-0.2 pts
48Florida55.1-1 pts
48New Mexico55.1-0.3 pts
50Mississippi53.70 pts
51West Virginia52.1-0.4 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 December 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest employment-population ratio?

West Virginia, with 52.1% in December 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.

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