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 February 2026, at 71.1%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 54.5%. The median was 62.7% and the figure for the United States was 62%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest71.1District of Columbia
Lowest54.5West Virginia
Median62.751 states
United States62History

All states, February 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 71.1 %71.1NebraskaNebraska: 70.1 %70.1North DakotaNorth Dakota: 70.1 %70.1MinnesotaMinnesota: 67.9 %67.9IowaIowa: 67.8 %67.8KansasKansas: 67.8 %67.8South DakotaSouth Dakota: 67.8 %67.8UtahUtah: 67.4 %67.4ColoradoColorado: 66.6 %66.6AlaskaAlaska: 66.2 %66.2MassachusettsMassachusetts: 66 %66New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.3 %65.3TexasTexas: 64.6 %64.6WisconsinWisconsin: 64.4 %64.4IllinoisIllinois: 64 %64MarylandMaryland: 64 %64ConnecticutConnecticut: 63.7 %63.7NevadaNevada: 63.7 %63.7VirginiaVirginia: 63.7 %63.7MissouriMissouri: 63.6 %63.6New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.6 %63.6IndianaIndiana: 63.4 %63.4Rhode IslandRhode Island: 63.4 %63.4VermontVermont: 63.2 %63.2OregonOregon: 62.8 %62.8IdahoIdaho: 62.7 %62.7OklahomaOklahoma: 62.7 %62.7WashingtonWashington: 62.6 %62.6CaliforniaCalifornia: 62.4 %62.4MontanaMontana: 62.2 %62.2OhioOhio: 62.2 %62.2PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 61.9 %61.9New YorkNew York: 61.8 %61.8ArizonaArizona: 61.7 %61.7WyomingWyoming: 61.2 %61.2GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.8 %60.8HawaiiHawaii: 60.7 %60.7MichiganMichigan: 60.5 %60.5TennesseeTennessee: 60.3 %60.3MaineMaine: 59.6 %59.6DelawareDelaware: 59.3 %59.3ArkansasArkansas: 59.2 %59.2North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 59.1 %59.1South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.9 %58.9LouisianaLouisiana: 58.7 %58.7KentuckyKentucky: 57.9 %57.9FloridaFlorida: 57.7 %57.7AlabamaAlabama: 57.5 %57.5New MexicoNew Mexico: 57.5 %57.5MississippiMississippi: 55.6 %55.6West VirginiaWest Virginia: 54.5 %54.5
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesFebruary 2026 (%)Change on February 2025
1District of Columbia71.1-1.6 pts
2Nebraska70.1+0.2 pts
2North Dakota70.1+0.6 pts
4Minnesota67.9-0.4 pts
5Iowa67.8+0.1 pts
5Kansas67.8+0.1 pts
5South Dakota67.8-0.4 pts
8Utah67.4-0.9 pts
9Colorado66.6-1 pts
10Alaska66.2+0.7 pts
11Massachusetts66-0.7 pts
12New Hampshire65.3-0.2 pts
13Texas64.6-0.3 pts
14Wisconsin64.4-0.4 pts
15Illinois64-0.8 pts
15Maryland64-0.8 pts
17Connecticut63.7-0.8 pts
17Nevada63.7+0.9 pts
17Virginia63.7-1 pts
20Missouri63.60 pts
20New Jersey63.60 pts
22Indiana63.4-0.6 pts
22Rhode Island63.4-0.9 pts
24Vermont63.2-1.4 pts
25Oregon62.80 pts
26Idaho62.7-0.9 pts
26Oklahoma62.7-0.4 pts
28Washington62.6-0.3 pts
29California62.4+0.1 pts
30Montana62.2-0.2 pts
30Ohio62.2-0.7 pts
32Pennsylvania61.9+0.4 pts
33New York61.8+0.9 pts
34Arizona61.7-0.4 pts
35Wyoming61.2-0.9 pts
36Georgia60.8-0.2 pts
37Hawaii60.70 pts
38Michigan60.5-1.3 pts
39Tennessee60.3-0.2 pts
40Maine59.6-0.4 pts
41Delaware59.3-0.6 pts
42Arkansas59.2+0.7 pts
43North Carolina59.1-0.6 pts
44South Carolina58.9+0.6 pts
45Louisiana58.7+0.7 pts
46Kentucky57.9-0.4 pts
47Florida57.7-0.4 pts
48Alabama57.5-0.3 pts
48New Mexico57.5-0.3 pts
50Mississippi55.6-0.3 pts
51West Virginia54.50 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 71.1% in February 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 February 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