Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / US states

US states by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

District of Columbia had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 51 states in 2024, at 71.6%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 53.8%. The median was 63.8% and the figure for the United States was 63.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest71.6District of Columbia
Lowest53.8West Virginia
Median63.851 states
United States63.5History

Map of states, 2024

Alabama: 58.3 %Alaska: 66.3 %Arizona: 60.6 %Arkansas: 58.4 %California: 63.8 %Colorado: 68.6 %Connecticut: 65.9 %Delaware: 62.1 %District of Columbia: 71.6 %Florida: 59.8 %Georgia: 63.8 %Hawaii: 63.7 %Idaho: 63 %Illinois: 65 %Indiana: 63.8 %Iowa: 66.4 %Kansas: 66.1 %Kentucky: 59.7 %Louisiana: 59.3 %Maine: 61.7 %Maryland: 67.1 %Massachusetts: 67 %Michigan: 61.3 %Minnesota: 68.1 %Mississippi: 57.4 %Missouri: 63.1 %Montana: 62.9 %Nebraska: 68.6 %Nevada: 63.2 %New Hampshire: 66.3 %New Jersey: 66.4 %New Mexico: 57.8 %New York: 62.7 %North Carolina: 62.8 %North Dakota: 68.6 %Ohio: 63.1 %Oklahoma: 61.2 %Oregon: 62.3 %Pennsylvania: 62.7 %Rhode Island: 65 %South Carolina: 60.5 %South Dakota: 67.2 %Tennessee: 62.4 %Texas: 65.3 %Utah: 69.6 %Vermont: 64.6 %Virginia: 65.4 %Washington: 64.5 %West Virginia: 53.8 %Wisconsin: 65.3 %Wyoming: 65.1 %
  • Under 61
  • 61 to 63
  • 63 to 64
  • 64 to 65
  • 65 to 67
  • 67 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2024

District of Columbia: 71.6 %District of Columbia71.6Utah: 69.6 %Utah69.6Colorado: 68.6 %Colorado68.6North Dakota: 68.6 %North Dakota68.6Nebraska: 68.6 %Nebraska68.6Minnesota: 68.1 %Minnesota68.1South Dakota: 67.2 %South Dakota67.2Maryland: 67.1 %Maryland67.1Massachusetts: 67 %Massachusetts67Iowa: 66.4 %Iowa66.4New Jersey: 66.4 %New Jersey66.4Alaska: 66.3 %Alaska66.3New Hampshire: 66.3 %New Hampshire66.3Kansas: 66.1 %Kansas66.1Connecticut: 65.9 %Connecticut65.9Virginia: 65.4 %Virginia65.4Wisconsin: 65.3 %Wisconsin65.3Texas: 65.3 %Texas65.3Wyoming: 65.1 %Wyoming65.1Rhode Island: 65 %Rhode Island65Illinois: 65 %Illinois65Vermont: 64.6 %Vermont64.6Washington: 64.5 %Washington64.5Indiana: 63.8 %Indiana63.8California: 63.8 %California63.8Georgia: 63.8 %Georgia63.8Hawaii: 63.7 %Hawaii63.7Nevada: 63.2 %Nevada63.2Missouri: 63.1 %Missouri63.1Ohio: 63.1 %Ohio63.1Idaho: 63 %Idaho63Montana: 62.9 %Montana62.9North Carolina: 62.8 %North Carolina62.8New York: 62.7 %New York62.7Pennsylvania: 62.7 %Pennsylvania62.7Tennessee: 62.4 %Tennessee62.4Oregon: 62.3 %Oregon62.3Delaware: 62.1 %Delaware62.1Maine: 61.7 %Maine61.7Michigan: 61.3 %Michigan61.3Oklahoma: 61.2 %Oklahoma61.2Arizona: 60.6 %Arizona60.6South Carolina: 60.5 %South Carolina60.5Florida: 59.8 %Florida59.8Kentucky: 59.7 %Kentucky59.7Louisiana: 59.3 %Louisiana59.3Arkansas: 58.4 %Arkansas58.4Alabama: 58.3 %Alabama58.3New Mexico: 57.8 %New Mexico57.8Mississippi: 57.4 %Mississippi57.4West Virginia: 53.8 %West Virginia53.8District of Columbia: 71.6 %District of Columbia71.6Utah: 69.6 %Utah69.6Colorado: 68.6 %Colorado68.6North Dakota: 68.6 %North Dakota68.6Nebraska: 68.6 %Nebraska68.6Minnesota: 68.1 %Minnesota68.1South Dakota: 67.2 %South Dakota67.2Maryland: 67.1 %Maryland67.1Massachusetts: 67 %Massachusetts67Iowa: 66.4 %Iowa66.4New Jersey: 66.4 %New Jersey66.4Alaska: 66.3 %Alaska66.3New Hampshire: 66.3 %New Hampshire66.3Kansas: 66.1 %Kansas66.1Connecticut: 65.9 %Connecticut65.9Virginia: 65.4 %Virginia65.4Wisconsin: 65.3 %Wisconsin65.3Texas: 65.3 %Texas65.3Wyoming: 65.1 %Wyoming65.1Rhode Island: 65 %Rhode Island65Illinois: 65 %Illinois65Vermont: 64.6 %Vermont64.6Washington: 64.5 %Washington64.5Indiana: 63.8 %Indiana63.8California: 63.8 %California63.8Georgia: 63.8 %Georgia63.8Hawaii: 63.7 %Hawaii63.7Nevada: 63.2 %Nevada63.2Missouri: 63.1 %Missouri63.1Ohio: 63.1 %Ohio63.1Idaho: 63 %Idaho63Montana: 62.9 %Montana62.9North Carolina: 62.8 %North Carolina62.8New York: 62.7 %New York62.7Pennsylvania: 62.7 %Pennsylvania62.7Tennessee: 62.4 %Tennessee62.4Oregon: 62.3 %Oregon62.3Delaware: 62.1 %Delaware62.1Maine: 61.7 %Maine61.7Michigan: 61.3 %Michigan61.3Oklahoma: 61.2 %Oklahoma61.2Arizona: 60.6 %Arizona60.6South Carolina: 60.5 %South Carolina60.5Florida: 59.8 %Florida59.8Kentucky: 59.7 %Kentucky59.7Louisiana: 59.3 %Louisiana59.3Arkansas: 58.4 %Arkansas58.4Alabama: 58.3 %Alabama58.3New Mexico: 57.8 %New Mexico57.8Mississippi: 57.4 %Mississippi57.4West Virginia: 53.8 %West Virginia53.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2024 (%)Change on 2023
1District of Columbia71.6-0.4 pts
2Utah69.6-0 pts
3Colorado68.6-0 pts
4North Dakota68.6-0.4 pts
5Nebraska68.6-0.2 pts
6Minnesota68.1-0.4 pts
7South Dakota67.2-0.3 pts
8Maryland67.1-0 pts
9Massachusetts67-0.2 pts
10Iowa66.4-0.1 pts
11New Jersey66.4+0.1 pts
12Alaska66.3-0 pts
13New Hampshire66.3-0.1 pts
14Kansas66.1-0.2 pts
15Connecticut65.9-0.2 pts
16Virginia65.4-0.3 pts
17Wisconsin65.3-0.2 pts
18Texas65.30 pts
19Wyoming65.1+0.1 pts
20Rhode Island650 pts
21Illinois65-0.1 pts
22Vermont64.6-0 pts
23Washington64.5-0.1 pts
24Indiana63.8-0.1 pts
25California63.8-0 pts
26Georgia63.8+0.1 pts
27Hawaii63.7-0.3 pts
28Nevada63.2+0.1 pts
29Missouri63.10 pts
30Ohio63.1-0.2 pts
31Idaho63-0 pts
32Montana62.90 pts
33North Carolina62.8+0.1 pts
34New York62.7-0.3 pts
35Pennsylvania62.7-0.1 pts
36Tennessee62.4+0.3 pts
37Oregon62.3-0 pts
38Delaware62.1-0.3 pts
39Maine61.7-0.3 pts
40Michigan61.3-0.1 pts
41Oklahoma61.2-0 pts
42Arizona60.6+0.1 pts
43South Carolina60.5-0 pts
44Florida59.8+0.2 pts
45Kentucky59.7+0.1 pts
46Louisiana59.3-0 pts
47Arkansas58.40 pts
48Alabama58.3+0.2 pts
49New Mexico57.80 pts
50Mississippi57.4+0.2 pts
51West Virginia53.8+0.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

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. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (US states by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US states by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/us-states. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. US states by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/us-states.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US states by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/us-states (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_labor_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: US states by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/us-states. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: US states by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/us-states
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/us-states.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

District of Columbia, with 71.6% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

West Virginia, with 53.8% in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

US states: more rankings