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 January 2026, at 71.3%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 54.5%. The median was 62.8% and the figure for the United States was 62.1%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest71.3District of Columbia
Lowest54.5West Virginia
Median62.851 states
United States62.1History

All states, January 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 71.3 %71.3NebraskaNebraska: 70.1 %70.1North DakotaNorth Dakota: 70 %70MinnesotaMinnesota: 68.2 %68.2South DakotaSouth Dakota: 68 %68IowaIowa: 67.9 %67.9KansasKansas: 67.9 %67.9UtahUtah: 67.5 %67.5ColoradoColorado: 66.8 %66.8MassachusettsMassachusetts: 66.2 %66.2AlaskaAlaska: 66.1 %66.1New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.3 %65.3TexasTexas: 64.7 %64.7WisconsinWisconsin: 64.3 %64.3MarylandMaryland: 64.1 %64.1IllinoisIllinois: 63.9 %63.9ConnecticutConnecticut: 63.8 %63.8VirginiaVirginia: 63.8 %63.8Rhode IslandRhode Island: 63.7 %63.7MissouriMissouri: 63.6 %63.6NevadaNevada: 63.6 %63.6New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.6 %63.6IndianaIndiana: 63.5 %63.5VermontVermont: 63.5 %63.5OregonOregon: 62.9 %62.9IdahoIdaho: 62.8 %62.8OklahomaOklahoma: 62.8 %62.8WashingtonWashington: 62.6 %62.6CaliforniaCalifornia: 62.5 %62.5MontanaMontana: 62.3 %62.3OhioOhio: 62.2 %62.2ArizonaArizona: 62 %62PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 61.9 %61.9New YorkNew York: 61.7 %61.7WyomingWyoming: 61.2 %61.2GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.8 %60.8HawaiiHawaii: 60.7 %60.7MichiganMichigan: 60.6 %60.6TennesseeTennessee: 60.5 %60.5MaineMaine: 59.7 %59.7DelawareDelaware: 59.5 %59.5North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 59.2 %59.2ArkansasArkansas: 59.1 %59.1South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.7 %58.7LouisianaLouisiana: 58.6 %58.6KentuckyKentucky: 58.1 %58.1AlabamaAlabama: 57.6 %57.6FloridaFlorida: 57.6 %57.6New MexicoNew Mexico: 57.6 %57.6MississippiMississippi: 55.6 %55.6West VirginiaWest Virginia: 54.5 %54.5
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesJanuary 2026 (%)Change on January 2025
1District of Columbia71.3-1.5 pts
2Nebraska70.1+0.3 pts
3North Dakota70+0.5 pts
4Minnesota68.2-0.1 pts
5South Dakota68-0.1 pts
6Iowa67.9+0.3 pts
6Kansas67.9+0.3 pts
8Utah67.5-0.8 pts
9Colorado66.8-0.8 pts
10Massachusetts66.2-0.5 pts
11Alaska66.1+0.7 pts
12New Hampshire65.3-0.2 pts
13Texas64.7-0.2 pts
14Wisconsin64.3-0.7 pts
15Maryland64.1-0.8 pts
16Illinois63.9-0.9 pts
17Connecticut63.8-0.7 pts
17Virginia63.8-1 pts
19Rhode Island63.7-0.7 pts
20Missouri63.60 pts
20Nevada63.6+0.8 pts
20New Jersey63.6-0.1 pts
23Indiana63.5-0.5 pts
23Vermont63.5-1.2 pts
25Oregon62.9+0.1 pts
26Idaho62.8-0.9 pts
26Oklahoma62.8-0.3 pts
28Washington62.6-0.3 pts
29California62.5+0.2 pts
30Montana62.3-0.2 pts
31Ohio62.2-0.7 pts
32Arizona62-0.1 pts
33Pennsylvania61.9+0.4 pts
34New York61.7+0.8 pts
35Wyoming61.2-1 pts
36Georgia60.8-0.3 pts
37Hawaii60.7+0.1 pts
38Michigan60.6-1.3 pts
39Tennessee60.5+0.1 pts
40Maine59.7-0.3 pts
41Delaware59.5-0.4 pts
42North Carolina59.2-0.5 pts
43Arkansas59.1+0.7 pts
44South Carolina58.7+0.4 pts
45Louisiana58.6+0.6 pts
46Kentucky58.1-0.2 pts
47Alabama57.6-0.2 pts
47Florida57.6-0.5 pts
47New Mexico57.6-0.3 pts
50Mississippi55.6-0.3 pts
51West Virginia54.5-0.1 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 71.3% in January 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 54.5% in January 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