Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate / US states

US states by labor force participation rate

District of Columbia had the highest labor force participation rate of 51 states in August 2025, at 71.6%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 54.5%. The median was 63% and the figure for the United States was 62.3%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest71.6District of Columbia
Lowest54.5West Virginia
Median6351 states
United States62.3History

All states, August 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 71.6 %71.6NebraskaNebraska: 70.1 %70.1North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69.7 %69.7MinnesotaMinnesota: 68.3 %68.3South DakotaSouth Dakota: 68.2 %68.2KansasKansas: 68 %68UtahUtah: 67.8 %67.8IowaIowa: 67.7 %67.7ColoradoColorado: 67 %67MassachusettsMassachusetts: 66.5 %66.5AlaskaAlaska: 65.6 %65.6New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.3 %65.3TexasTexas: 64.8 %64.8MarylandMaryland: 64.5 %64.5WisconsinWisconsin: 64.1 %64.1ConnecticutConnecticut: 64 %64Rhode IslandRhode Island: 64 %64VirginiaVirginia: 64 %64IllinoisIllinois: 63.9 %63.9VermontVermont: 63.9 %63.9IndianaIndiana: 63.8 %63.8New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.6 %63.6MissouriMissouri: 63.5 %63.5IdahoIdaho: 63.2 %63.2OklahomaOklahoma: 63.2 %63.2NevadaNevada: 63 %63OregonOregon: 63 %63WashingtonWashington: 62.7 %62.7CaliforniaCalifornia: 62.5 %62.5MontanaMontana: 62.4 %62.4OhioOhio: 62.3 %62.3ArizonaArizona: 62.1 %62.1PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 61.5 %61.5WyomingWyoming: 61.3 %61.3New YorkNew York: 61.2 %61.2MichiganMichigan: 60.9 %60.9GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.8 %60.8HawaiiHawaii: 60.6 %60.6TennesseeTennessee: 60.6 %60.6DelawareDelaware: 59.8 %59.8MaineMaine: 59.8 %59.8North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 59.4 %59.4ArkansasArkansas: 58.7 %58.7KentuckyKentucky: 58.3 %58.3South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.3 %58.3LouisianaLouisiana: 58 %58FloridaFlorida: 57.6 %57.6AlabamaAlabama: 57.5 %57.5New MexicoNew Mexico: 57.5 %57.5MississippiMississippi: 55.7 %55.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 54.5 %54.5
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesAugust 2025 (%)Change on August 2024
1District of Columbia71.6-1 pts
2Nebraska70.1+0.6 pts
3North Dakota69.7+0.2 pts
4Minnesota68.3+0.1 pts
5South Dakota68.2+0.1 pts
6Kansas68+0.5 pts
7Utah67.8-0.8 pts
8Iowa67.7+0.6 pts
9Colorado67-0.8 pts
10Massachusetts66.50 pts
11Alaska65.6+0.4 pts
12New Hampshire65.3-0.3 pts
13Texas64.8-0.1 pts
14Maryland64.5-0.7 pts
15Wisconsin64.1-1.2 pts
16Connecticut64-0.4 pts
16Rhode Island64-0.5 pts
16Virginia64-1.2 pts
19Illinois63.9-1.2 pts
19Vermont63.9-1.1 pts
21Indiana63.8-0.1 pts
22New Jersey63.6-0.4 pts
23Missouri63.5-0.1 pts
24Idaho63.2-0.7 pts
24Oklahoma63.2+0.2 pts
26Nevada63+0.2 pts
26Oregon63+0.4 pts
28Washington62.7-0.6 pts
29California62.5+0.2 pts
30Montana62.4-0.7 pts
31Ohio62.3-0.5 pts
32Arizona62.1+0.2 pts
33Pennsylvania61.5-0.4 pts
34Wyoming61.3-1.5 pts
35New York61.2+0.4 pts
36Michigan60.9-1.1 pts
37Georgia60.8-0.8 pts
38Hawaii60.6+0.2 pts
38Tennessee60.6+0.5 pts
40Delaware59.8-0.1 pts
40Maine59.8-0.4 pts
42North Carolina59.4-0.8 pts
43Arkansas58.7+0.4 pts
44Kentucky58.30 pts
44South Carolina58.3-0.3 pts
46Louisiana58-0.2 pts
47Florida57.6-0.8 pts
48Alabama57.5-0.1 pts
48New Mexico57.5-0.2 pts
50Mississippi55.7+0.3 pts
51West Virginia54.5-0.6 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 71.6% in August 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 54.5% in August 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, 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