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 September 2025, at 71.4%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 54.6%. The median was 63.1% and the figure for the United States was 62.5%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest71.4District of Columbia
Lowest54.6West Virginia
Median63.151 states
United States62.5History

All states, September 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 71.4 %71.4NebraskaNebraska: 70.2 %70.2North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69.8 %69.8MinnesotaMinnesota: 68.4 %68.4South DakotaSouth Dakota: 68.2 %68.2KansasKansas: 68 %68IowaIowa: 67.8 %67.8UtahUtah: 67.8 %67.8ColoradoColorado: 67 %67MassachusettsMassachusetts: 66.4 %66.4AlaskaAlaska: 65.8 %65.8New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.3 %65.3TexasTexas: 64.9 %64.9MarylandMaryland: 64.4 %64.4WisconsinWisconsin: 64.1 %64.1VirginiaVirginia: 64 %64ConnecticutConnecticut: 63.9 %63.9IllinoisIllinois: 63.9 %63.9Rhode IslandRhode Island: 63.9 %63.9VermontVermont: 63.8 %63.8IndianaIndiana: 63.7 %63.7New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.7 %63.7MissouriMissouri: 63.6 %63.6NevadaNevada: 63.2 %63.2IdahoIdaho: 63.1 %63.1OklahomaOklahoma: 63.1 %63.1OregonOregon: 63 %63WashingtonWashington: 62.7 %62.7CaliforniaCalifornia: 62.5 %62.5MontanaMontana: 62.4 %62.4OhioOhio: 62.3 %62.3ArizonaArizona: 62.1 %62.1PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 61.6 %61.6New YorkNew York: 61.3 %61.3WyomingWyoming: 61.3 %61.3GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.8 %60.8MichiganMichigan: 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: 58.9 %58.9South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.5 %58.5KentuckyKentucky: 58.3 %58.3LouisianaLouisiana: 58.2 %58.2AlabamaAlabama: 57.6 %57.6FloridaFlorida: 57.6 %57.6New MexicoNew Mexico: 57.5 %57.5MississippiMississippi: 55.7 %55.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 54.6 %54.6
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesSeptember 2025 (%)Change on September 2024
1District of Columbia71.4-1.2 pts
2Nebraska70.2+0.7 pts
3North Dakota69.8+0.3 pts
4Minnesota68.4+0.2 pts
5South Dakota68.2+0.1 pts
6Kansas68+0.5 pts
7Iowa67.8+0.7 pts
7Utah67.8-0.7 pts
9Colorado67-0.8 pts
10Massachusetts66.4-0.1 pts
11Alaska65.8+0.6 pts
12New Hampshire65.3-0.3 pts
13Texas64.90 pts
14Maryland64.4-0.7 pts
15Wisconsin64.1-1.2 pts
16Virginia64-1.1 pts
17Connecticut63.9-0.5 pts
17Illinois63.9-1.2 pts
17Rhode Island63.9-0.6 pts
20Vermont63.8-1.2 pts
21Indiana63.7-0.2 pts
21New Jersey63.7-0.2 pts
23Missouri63.60 pts
24Nevada63.2+0.4 pts
25Idaho63.1-0.8 pts
25Oklahoma63.1+0.1 pts
27Oregon63+0.4 pts
28Washington62.7-0.4 pts
29California62.5+0.2 pts
30Montana62.4-0.6 pts
31Ohio62.3-0.5 pts
32Arizona62.1+0.2 pts
33Pennsylvania61.6-0.2 pts
34New York61.3+0.5 pts
34Wyoming61.3-1.4 pts
36Georgia60.8-0.7 pts
36Michigan60.8-1.2 pts
38Hawaii60.6+0.2 pts
38Tennessee60.6+0.5 pts
40Delaware59.8-0.1 pts
40Maine59.8-0.4 pts
42North Carolina59.4-0.7 pts
43Arkansas58.9+0.6 pts
44South Carolina58.50 pts
45Kentucky58.3-0.1 pts
46Louisiana58.20 pts
47Alabama57.6-0.1 pts
47Florida57.6-0.7 pts
49New Mexico57.5-0.3 pts
50Mississippi55.7+0.2 pts
51West Virginia54.6-0.4 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.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by labor force participation rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"labor_force_participation_rate","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=labor_force_participation_rate&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest labor force participation rate?

District of Columbia, with 71.4% in September 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 54.6% in September 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