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 March 2026, at 68.3%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 51.8%. The median was 59.9% and the figure for the United States was 59.2%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest68.3North Dakota
Lowest51.8West Virginia
Median59.951 states
United States59.2History

All states, March 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

North DakotaNorth Dakota: 68.3 %68.3NebraskaNebraska: 67.8 %67.8District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 66.3 %66.3South DakotaSouth Dakota: 66.1 %66.1IowaIowa: 65.4 %65.4KansasKansas: 65 %65MinnesotaMinnesota: 64.6 %64.6UtahUtah: 64.5 %64.5ColoradoColorado: 63.7 %63.7New HampshireNew Hampshire: 63.2 %63.2AlaskaAlaska: 63.1 %63.1MassachusettsMassachusetts: 62.7 %62.7WisconsinWisconsin: 62.2 %62.2TexasTexas: 61.7 %61.7VermontVermont: 61.3 %61.3IndianaIndiana: 61.2 %61.2VirginiaVirginia: 61.2 %61.2MarylandMaryland: 61.1 %61.1MissouriMissouri: 61.1 %61.1IllinoisIllinois: 60.7 %60.7ConnecticutConnecticut: 60.4 %60.4NevadaNevada: 60.4 %60.4New JerseyNew Jersey: 60.4 %60.4Rhode IslandRhode Island: 60.3 %60.3IdahoIdaho: 60.2 %60.2OklahomaOklahoma: 59.9 %59.9MontanaMontana: 59.7 %59.7OhioOhio: 59.5 %59.5OregonOregon: 59.4 %59.4PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 59.4 %59.4WashingtonWashington: 59.3 %59.3HawaiiHawaii: 59.2 %59.2New YorkNew York: 59 %59CaliforniaCalifornia: 58.9 %58.9WyomingWyoming: 58.9 %58.9GeorgiaGeorgia: 58.7 %58.7ArizonaArizona: 58.6 %58.6TennesseeTennessee: 57.8 %57.8MaineMaine: 57.6 %57.6MichiganMichigan: 57.3 %57.3North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 56.8 %56.8ArkansasArkansas: 56.6 %56.6LouisianaLouisiana: 56.1 %56.1South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 56 %56AlabamaAlabama: 55.9 %55.9DelawareDelaware: 55.9 %55.9KentuckyKentucky: 55.3 %55.3FloridaFlorida: 55 %55New MexicoNew Mexico: 54.7 %54.7MississippiMississippi: 53.4 %53.4West VirginiaWest Virginia: 51.8 %51.8
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesMarch 2026 (%)Change on March 2025
1North Dakota68.3+0.5 pts
2Nebraska67.8-0.1 pts
3District of Columbia66.3-2 pts
4South Dakota66.1-0.7 pts
5Iowa65.40 pts
6Kansas65-0.2 pts
7Minnesota64.6-1.3 pts
8Utah64.5-1.4 pts
9Colorado63.7-0.9 pts
10New Hampshire63.2-0.2 pts
11Alaska63.1+0.6 pts
12Massachusetts62.7-1.1 pts
13Wisconsin62.2-0.4 pts
14Texas61.7-0.5 pts
15Vermont61.3-1.5 pts
16Indiana61.2-0.4 pts
16Virginia61.2-1.3 pts
18Maryland61.1-1.2 pts
18Missouri61.10 pts
20Illinois60.7-1 pts
21Connecticut60.4-1.6 pts
21Nevada60.4+0.9 pts
21New Jersey60.40 pts
24Rhode Island60.3-1.1 pts
25Idaho60.2-1.1 pts
26Oklahoma59.9-1.3 pts
27Montana59.7-0.8 pts
28Ohio59.5-0.3 pts
29Oregon59.4-0.3 pts
29Pennsylvania59.4+0.5 pts
31Washington59.3-0.8 pts
32Hawaii59.20 pts
33New York59+0.6 pts
34California58.90 pts
34Wyoming58.9-1 pts
36Georgia58.7-0.2 pts
37Arizona58.6-0.9 pts
38Tennessee57.8-0.6 pts
39Maine57.6-0.4 pts
40Michigan57.3-1.2 pts
41North Carolina56.8-0.5 pts
42Arkansas56.6+0.4 pts
43Louisiana56.1+0.6 pts
44South Carolina56+0.2 pts
45Alabama55.9-0.1 pts
45Delaware55.9-1.4 pts
47Kentucky55.3-0.3 pts
48Florida55-0.9 pts
49New Mexico54.7-0.7 pts
50Mississippi53.4-0.3 pts
51West Virginia51.8-0.6 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 68.3% in March 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest employment-population ratio?

West Virginia, with 51.8% in March 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