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 April 2026, at 70.6%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 54.1%. The median was 62.5% and the figure for the United States was 61.8%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest70.6District of Columbia
Lowest54.1West Virginia
Median62.551 states
United States61.8History

All states, April 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 70.6 %70.6NebraskaNebraska: 69.9 %69.9North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69.9 %69.9IowaIowa: 67.5 %67.5KansasKansas: 67.4 %67.4MinnesotaMinnesota: 67.4 %67.4South DakotaSouth Dakota: 67.4 %67.4UtahUtah: 66.8 %66.8AlaskaAlaska: 66.1 %66.1ColoradoColorado: 66.1 %66.1MassachusettsMassachusetts: 65.6 %65.6New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.2 %65.2WisconsinWisconsin: 64.4 %64.4TexasTexas: 64.3 %64.3MarylandMaryland: 63.9 %63.9IllinoisIllinois: 63.8 %63.8NevadaNevada: 63.6 %63.6MissouriMissouri: 63.5 %63.5New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.4 %63.4VirginiaVirginia: 63.4 %63.4ConnecticutConnecticut: 63.2 %63.2IndianaIndiana: 63.2 %63.2Rhode IslandRhode Island: 62.9 %62.9VermontVermont: 62.7 %62.7OregonOregon: 62.5 %62.5WashingtonWashington: 62.5 %62.5IdahoIdaho: 62.2 %62.2CaliforniaCalifornia: 62.1 %62.1PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 62.1 %62.1OklahomaOklahoma: 62 %62OhioOhio: 61.9 %61.9MontanaMontana: 61.8 %61.8New YorkNew York: 61.7 %61.7ArizonaArizona: 61 %61WyomingWyoming: 61 %61GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.8 %60.8HawaiiHawaii: 60.7 %60.7MichiganMichigan: 60.1 %60.1TennesseeTennessee: 59.7 %59.7MaineMaine: 59.4 %59.4ArkansasArkansas: 59.1 %59.1DelawareDelaware: 58.9 %58.9South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.9 %58.9LouisianaLouisiana: 58.8 %58.8North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 58.8 %58.8FloridaFlorida: 57.7 %57.7KentuckyKentucky: 57.6 %57.6AlabamaAlabama: 57.3 %57.3New MexicoNew Mexico: 57.2 %57.2MississippiMississippi: 55.4 %55.4West VirginiaWest Virginia: 54.1 %54.1
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesApril 2026 (%)Change on April 2025
1District of Columbia70.6-1.9 pts
2Nebraska69.9-0.1 pts
2North Dakota69.9+0.3 pts
4Iowa67.5-0.3 pts
5Kansas67.4-0.3 pts
5Minnesota67.4-0.9 pts
5South Dakota67.4-0.8 pts
8Utah66.8-1.3 pts
9Alaska66.1+0.5 pts
9Colorado66.1-1.3 pts
11Massachusetts65.6-1.1 pts
12New Hampshire65.2-0.3 pts
13Wisconsin64.4-0.2 pts
14Texas64.3-0.6 pts
15Maryland63.9-0.8 pts
16Illinois63.8-0.7 pts
17Nevada63.6+0.8 pts
18Missouri63.5-0.1 pts
19New Jersey63.4-0.2 pts
19Virginia63.4-1.1 pts
21Connecticut63.2-1.1 pts
21Indiana63.2-0.7 pts
23Rhode Island62.9-1.4 pts
24Vermont62.7-1.7 pts
25Oregon62.5-0.4 pts
25Washington62.5-0.3 pts
27Idaho62.2-1.3 pts
28California62.1-0.2 pts
28Pennsylvania62.1+0.7 pts
30Oklahoma62-1.1 pts
31Ohio61.9-0.8 pts
32Montana61.8-0.6 pts
33New York61.7+0.8 pts
34Arizona61-1.1 pts
34Wyoming61-0.8 pts
36Georgia60.80 pts
37Hawaii60.7+0.1 pts
38Michigan60.1-1.5 pts
39Tennessee59.7-0.9 pts
40Maine59.4-0.5 pts
41Arkansas59.1+0.6 pts
42Delaware58.9-1 pts
42South Carolina58.9+0.7 pts
44Louisiana58.8+0.8 pts
44North Carolina58.8-0.7 pts
46Florida57.7-0.2 pts
47Kentucky57.6-0.7 pts
48Alabama57.3-0.4 pts
49New Mexico57.2-0.6 pts
50Mississippi55.4-0.4 pts
51West Virginia54.1-0.3 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 70.6% in April 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 54.1% in April 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