Data / Rankings / Employment-population ratio / US states

US states by employment-population ratio

North Dakota had the highest employment-population ratio of 51 states in January 2026, at 68.2%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 52%. The median was 60.2% and the figure for the United States was 59.4%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest68.2North Dakota
Lowest52West Virginia
Median60.251 states
United States59.4History

All states, January 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

North DakotaNorth Dakota: 68.2 %68.2NebraskaNebraska: 68 %68District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 66.5 %66.5South DakotaSouth Dakota: 66.5 %66.5IowaIowa: 65.6 %65.6KansasKansas: 65.3 %65.3MinnesotaMinnesota: 65.2 %65.2UtahUtah: 65 %65ColoradoColorado: 64.2 %64.2New HampshireNew Hampshire: 63.2 %63.2MassachusettsMassachusetts: 63.1 %63.1AlaskaAlaska: 62.9 %62.9WisconsinWisconsin: 62.2 %62.2TexasTexas: 61.9 %61.9VermontVermont: 61.8 %61.8VirginiaVirginia: 61.5 %61.5IndianaIndiana: 61.4 %61.4MarylandMaryland: 61.4 %61.4MissouriMissouri: 61.2 %61.2ConnecticutConnecticut: 61 %61IllinoisIllinois: 60.8 %60.8Rhode IslandRhode Island: 60.8 %60.8IdahoIdaho: 60.5 %60.5OklahomaOklahoma: 60.4 %60.4New JerseyNew Jersey: 60.3 %60.3NevadaNevada: 60.2 %60.2MontanaMontana: 60 %60OregonOregon: 59.6 %59.6OhioOhio: 59.5 %59.5WashingtonWashington: 59.5 %59.5HawaiiHawaii: 59.3 %59.3ArizonaArizona: 59.2 %59.2PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 59.2 %59.2CaliforniaCalifornia: 59.1 %59.1WyomingWyoming: 59.1 %59.1New YorkNew York: 58.9 %58.9GeorgiaGeorgia: 58.6 %58.6TennesseeTennessee: 58.3 %58.3MaineMaine: 57.7 %57.7MichiganMichigan: 57.6 %57.6North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 56.9 %56.9ArkansasArkansas: 56.5 %56.5DelawareDelaware: 56.3 %56.3AlabamaAlabama: 56.1 %56.1LouisianaLouisiana: 56.1 %56.1South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 55.8 %55.8KentuckyKentucky: 55.6 %55.6FloridaFlorida: 55 %55New MexicoNew Mexico: 55 %55MississippiMississippi: 53.6 %53.6West VirginiaWest Virginia: 52 %52
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesJanuary 2026 (%)Change on January 2025
1North Dakota68.2+0.5 pts
2Nebraska68+0.2 pts
3District of Columbia66.5-2.1 pts
3South Dakota66.5-0.3 pts
5Iowa65.6+0.4 pts
6Kansas65.3+0.2 pts
7Minnesota65.2-0.8 pts
8Utah65-1 pts
9Colorado64.2-0.5 pts
10New Hampshire63.2-0.3 pts
11Massachusetts63.1-0.8 pts
12Alaska62.9+0.5 pts
13Wisconsin62.2-0.6 pts
14Texas61.9-0.3 pts
15Vermont61.8-1.3 pts
16Virginia61.5-1.2 pts
17Indiana61.4-0.1 pts
17Maryland61.4-1.2 pts
19Missouri61.2+0.1 pts
20Connecticut61-1.2 pts
21Illinois60.8-1 pts
21Rhode Island60.8-0.7 pts
23Idaho60.5-0.9 pts
24Oklahoma60.4-0.7 pts
25New Jersey60.3-0.2 pts
26Nevada60.2+0.8 pts
27Montana60-0.6 pts
28Oregon59.6-0.2 pts
29Ohio59.5-0.3 pts
29Washington59.5-0.7 pts
31Hawaii59.3+0.2 pts
32Arizona59.2-0.3 pts
32Pennsylvania59.2+0.2 pts
34California59.1+0.2 pts
34Wyoming59.1-1.1 pts
36New York58.9+0.5 pts
37Georgia58.6-0.4 pts
38Tennessee58.30 pts
39Maine57.7-0.3 pts
40Michigan57.6-1 pts
41North Carolina56.9-0.6 pts
42Arkansas56.5+0.3 pts
43Delaware56.3-1.1 pts
44Alabama56.1+0.1 pts
44Louisiana56.1+0.6 pts
46South Carolina55.8-0.1 pts
47Kentucky55.6+0.1 pts
48Florida55-1 pts
48New Mexico55-0.5 pts
50Mississippi53.6-0.1 pts
51West Virginia52-0.5 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?

North Dakota, with 68.2% in January 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest employment-population ratio?

West Virginia, with 52% in January 2026.

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