Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate / US states

US states by labor force participation rate, August 2026

District of Columbia had the highest labor force participation rate of 51 states in August 2026, at 70.3%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 53.8%. The median was 62% and the figure for the United States was 61.6%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest70.3District of Columbia
Lowest53.8West Virginia
Median6251 states
United States61.6History

All states, August 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 70.3 %70.3NebraskaNebraska: 69.3 %69.3North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69 %69IowaIowa: 67 %67MinnesotaMinnesota: 66.8 %66.8KansasKansas: 66.6 %66.6South DakotaSouth Dakota: 66.5 %66.5UtahUtah: 66.3 %66.3AlaskaAlaska: 65.5 %65.5ColoradoColorado: 65.3 %65.3MassachusettsMassachusetts: 65.3 %65.3New HampshireNew Hampshire: 64.8 %64.8WisconsinWisconsin: 64.7 %64.7TexasTexas: 64.2 %64.2MarylandMaryland: 63.7 %63.7New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.6 %63.6MissouriMissouri: 63.3 %63.3IllinoisIllinois: 63.1 %63.1IndianaIndiana: 63 %63VirginiaVirginia: 62.8 %62.8NevadaNevada: 62.6 %62.6PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 62.6 %62.6OregonOregon: 62.5 %62.5Rhode IslandRhode Island: 62.1 %62.1VermontVermont: 62.1 %62.1ConnecticutConnecticut: 62 %62WashingtonWashington: 62 %62OklahomaOklahoma: 61.9 %61.9CaliforniaCalifornia: 61.5 %61.5IdahoIdaho: 61.5 %61.5MontanaMontana: 61.5 %61.5New YorkNew York: 61.3 %61.3OhioOhio: 61.3 %61.3HawaiiHawaii: 61.1 %61.1GeorgiaGeorgia: 61 %61WyomingWyoming: 60.2 %60.2ArizonaArizona: 59.9 %59.9TennesseeTennessee: 59.2 %59.2ArkansasArkansas: 59.1 %59.1MichiganMichigan: 58.8 %58.8South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.8 %58.8MaineMaine: 58.6 %58.6LouisianaLouisiana: 58.4 %58.4DelawareDelaware: 57.9 %57.9KentuckyKentucky: 57.8 %57.8North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 57.8 %57.8FloridaFlorida: 57.4 %57.4AlabamaAlabama: 56.8 %56.8New MexicoNew Mexico: 56.7 %56.7MississippiMississippi: 54.7 %54.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 53.8 %53.8
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesAugust 2026 (%)Change on August 2025
1District of Columbia Provisional70.3-1.3 pts
2Nebraska Provisional69.3-0.8 pts
3North Dakota Provisional69-0.7 pts
4Iowa Provisional67-0.7 pts
5Minnesota Provisional66.8-1.5 pts
6Kansas Provisional66.6-1.4 pts
7South Dakota Provisional66.5-1.7 pts
8Utah Provisional66.3-1.5 pts
9Alaska Provisional65.5-0.1 pts
10Colorado Provisional65.3-1.7 pts
10Massachusetts Provisional65.3-1.2 pts
12New Hampshire Provisional64.8-0.5 pts
13Wisconsin Provisional64.7+0.6 pts
14Texas Provisional64.2-0.6 pts
15Maryland Provisional63.7-0.8 pts
16New Jersey Provisional63.60 pts
17Missouri Provisional63.3-0.2 pts
18Illinois Provisional63.1-0.8 pts
19Indiana Provisional63-0.8 pts
20Virginia Provisional62.8-1.2 pts
21Nevada Provisional62.6-0.4 pts
21Pennsylvania Provisional62.6+1.1 pts
23Oregon Provisional62.5-0.5 pts
24Rhode Island Provisional62.1-1.9 pts
24Vermont Provisional62.1-1.8 pts
26Connecticut Provisional62-2 pts
26Washington Provisional62-0.7 pts
28Oklahoma Provisional61.9-1.3 pts
29California Provisional61.5-1 pts
29Idaho Provisional61.5-1.7 pts
29Montana Provisional61.5-0.9 pts
32New York Provisional61.3+0.1 pts
32Ohio Provisional61.3-1 pts
34Hawaii Provisional61.1+0.5 pts
35Georgia Provisional61+0.2 pts
36Wyoming Provisional60.2-1.1 pts
37Arizona Provisional59.9-2.2 pts
38Tennessee Provisional59.2-1.4 pts
39Arkansas Provisional59.1+0.4 pts
40Michigan Provisional58.8-2.1 pts
40South Carolina Provisional58.8+0.5 pts
42Maine Provisional58.6-1.2 pts
43Louisiana Provisional58.4+0.4 pts
44Delaware Provisional57.9-1.9 pts
45Kentucky Provisional57.8-0.5 pts
45North Carolina Provisional57.8-1.6 pts
47Florida Provisional57.4-0.2 pts
48Alabama Provisional56.8-0.7 pts
49New Mexico Provisional56.7-0.8 pts
50Mississippi Provisional54.7-1 pts
51West Virginia Provisional53.8-0.7 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

The labor force, comprising employed and unemployed 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 activity-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. Labor force participation rate, civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted, state LAUS measure 08. 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 labor force participation rate?

District of Columbia, with 70.3% in August 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 53.8% in August 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, Labor force participation rate, civilian noninstitutional population aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted, state LAUS measure 08. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

US states: more rankings