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 November 2025, at 71.4%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 54.6%. The median was 63% 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
Median6351 states
United States62.5History

All states, November 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 71.4 %71.4NebraskaNebraska: 70.2 %70.2North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69.9 %69.9MinnesotaMinnesota: 68.3 %68.3South DakotaSouth Dakota: 68.2 %68.2KansasKansas: 68 %68IowaIowa: 67.9 %67.9UtahUtah: 67.7 %67.7ColoradoColorado: 66.9 %66.9MassachusettsMassachusetts: 66.3 %66.3AlaskaAlaska: 65.9 %65.9New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.3 %65.3TexasTexas: 64.8 %64.8MarylandMaryland: 64.3 %64.3WisconsinWisconsin: 64.2 %64.2ConnecticutConnecticut: 63.9 %63.9IllinoisIllinois: 63.9 %63.9VirginiaVirginia: 63.9 %63.9Rhode IslandRhode Island: 63.8 %63.8New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.7 %63.7VermontVermont: 63.7 %63.7IndianaIndiana: 63.6 %63.6MissouriMissouri: 63.6 %63.6NevadaNevada: 63.4 %63.4IdahoIdaho: 63 %63OregonOregon: 63 %63OklahomaOklahoma: 62.9 %62.9WashingtonWashington: 62.7 %62.7CaliforniaCalifornia: 62.6 %62.6MontanaMontana: 62.3 %62.3OhioOhio: 62.3 %62.3ArizonaArizona: 62.1 %62.1PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 61.8 %61.8New YorkNew York: 61.6 %61.6WyomingWyoming: 61.3 %61.3GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.8 %60.8HawaiiHawaii: 60.7 %60.7MichiganMichigan: 60.7 %60.7TennesseeTennessee: 60.6 %60.6MaineMaine: 59.8 %59.8DelawareDelaware: 59.7 %59.7North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 59.3 %59.3ArkansasArkansas: 59 %59South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.6 %58.6LouisianaLouisiana: 58.5 %58.5KentuckyKentucky: 58.3 %58.3AlabamaAlabama: 57.7 %57.7FloridaFlorida: 57.6 %57.6New MexicoNew Mexico: 57.6 %57.6MississippiMississippi: 55.7 %55.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 54.6 %54.6
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesNovember 2025 (%)Change on November 2024
1District of Columbia71.4-1.3 pts
2Nebraska70.2+0.5 pts
3North Dakota69.9+0.4 pts
4Minnesota68.3+0.1 pts
5South Dakota68.2+0.1 pts
6Kansas68+0.4 pts
7Iowa67.9+0.6 pts
8Utah67.7-0.7 pts
9Colorado66.9-0.8 pts
10Massachusetts66.3-0.3 pts
11Alaska65.9+0.7 pts
12New Hampshire65.3-0.2 pts
13Texas64.8-0.1 pts
14Maryland64.3-0.8 pts
15Wisconsin64.2-1 pts
16Connecticut63.9-0.6 pts
16Illinois63.9-1.1 pts
16Virginia63.9-1.1 pts
19Rhode Island63.8-0.6 pts
20New Jersey63.70 pts
20Vermont63.7-1.2 pts
22Indiana63.6-0.4 pts
22Missouri63.60 pts
24Nevada63.4+0.6 pts
25Idaho63-0.8 pts
25Oregon63+0.3 pts
27Oklahoma62.9-0.1 pts
28Washington62.7-0.3 pts
29California62.6+0.3 pts
30Montana62.3-0.4 pts
30Ohio62.3-0.6 pts
32Arizona62.1+0.1 pts
33Pennsylvania61.8+0.2 pts
34New York61.6+0.8 pts
35Wyoming61.3-1.2 pts
36Georgia60.8-0.5 pts
37Hawaii60.7+0.2 pts
37Michigan60.7-1.2 pts
39Tennessee60.6+0.4 pts
40Maine59.8-0.3 pts
41Delaware59.7-0.2 pts
42North Carolina59.3-0.6 pts
43Arkansas59+0.6 pts
44South Carolina58.6+0.2 pts
45Louisiana58.5+0.5 pts
46Kentucky58.3-0.1 pts
47Alabama57.7-0.1 pts
48Florida57.6-0.6 pts
48New Mexico57.6-0.2 pts
50Mississippi55.7-0.1 pts
51West Virginia54.6-0.1 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 71.4% in November 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 November 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