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 May 2026, at 70.5%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 54%. The median was 62.4% and the figure for the United States was 61.8%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest70.5District of Columbia
Lowest54West Virginia
Median62.451 states
United States61.8History

All states, May 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 70.5 %70.5NebraskaNebraska: 69.8 %69.8North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69.8 %69.8IowaIowa: 67.4 %67.4South DakotaSouth Dakota: 67.3 %67.3KansasKansas: 67.2 %67.2MinnesotaMinnesota: 67.2 %67.2UtahUtah: 66.5 %66.5AlaskaAlaska: 66 %66ColoradoColorado: 65.9 %65.9MassachusettsMassachusetts: 65.4 %65.4New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.2 %65.2WisconsinWisconsin: 64.4 %64.4TexasTexas: 64.2 %64.2MarylandMaryland: 63.9 %63.9IllinoisIllinois: 63.7 %63.7New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.5 %63.5MissouriMissouri: 63.4 %63.4NevadaNevada: 63.4 %63.4VirginiaVirginia: 63.3 %63.3IndianaIndiana: 63.2 %63.2ConnecticutConnecticut: 62.8 %62.8Rhode IslandRhode Island: 62.6 %62.6VermontVermont: 62.5 %62.5WashingtonWashington: 62.5 %62.5OregonOregon: 62.4 %62.4PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 62.3 %62.3CaliforniaCalifornia: 62 %62IdahoIdaho: 62 %62OklahomaOklahoma: 61.9 %61.9OhioOhio: 61.8 %61.8MontanaMontana: 61.7 %61.7New YorkNew York: 61.7 %61.7GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.9 %60.9HawaiiHawaii: 60.8 %60.8WyomingWyoming: 60.8 %60.8ArizonaArizona: 60.7 %60.7MichiganMichigan: 59.8 %59.8TennesseeTennessee: 59.6 %59.6MaineMaine: 59.2 %59.2ArkansasArkansas: 59.1 %59.1South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 59 %59LouisianaLouisiana: 58.8 %58.8DelawareDelaware: 58.7 %58.7North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 58.6 %58.6FloridaFlorida: 57.6 %57.6KentuckyKentucky: 57.5 %57.5AlabamaAlabama: 57.2 %57.2New MexicoNew Mexico: 57.1 %57.1MississippiMississippi: 55.3 %55.3West VirginiaWest Virginia: 54 %54
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesMay 2026 (%)Change on May 2025
1District of Columbia70.5-1.8 pts
2Nebraska69.8-0.2 pts
2North Dakota69.8+0.3 pts
4Iowa67.4-0.4 pts
5South Dakota67.3-0.9 pts
6Kansas67.2-0.6 pts
6Minnesota67.2-1.1 pts
8Utah66.5-1.5 pts
9Alaska66+0.5 pts
10Colorado65.9-1.4 pts
11Massachusetts65.4-1.3 pts
12New Hampshire65.2-0.2 pts
13Wisconsin64.40 pts
14Texas64.2-0.6 pts
15Maryland63.9-0.8 pts
16Illinois63.7-0.6 pts
17New Jersey63.5-0.1 pts
18Missouri63.4-0.2 pts
18Nevada63.4+0.6 pts
20Virginia63.3-1.1 pts
21Indiana63.2-0.7 pts
22Connecticut62.8-1.4 pts
23Rhode Island62.6-1.6 pts
24Vermont62.5-1.7 pts
24Washington62.5-0.3 pts
26Oregon62.4-0.5 pts
27Pennsylvania62.3+0.9 pts
28California62-0.4 pts
28Idaho62-1.4 pts
30Oklahoma61.9-1.3 pts
31Ohio61.8-0.8 pts
32Montana61.7-0.7 pts
32New York61.7+0.8 pts
34Georgia60.9+0.1 pts
35Hawaii60.8+0.2 pts
35Wyoming60.8-0.8 pts
37Arizona60.7-1.4 pts
38Michigan59.8-1.6 pts
39Tennessee59.6-1 pts
40Maine59.2-0.7 pts
41Arkansas59.1+0.6 pts
42South Carolina59+0.8 pts
43Louisiana58.8+0.9 pts
44Delaware58.7-1.2 pts
45North Carolina58.6-0.9 pts
46Florida57.6-0.2 pts
47Kentucky57.5-0.8 pts
48Alabama57.2-0.4 pts
49New Mexico57.1-0.6 pts
50Mississippi55.3-0.5 pts
51West Virginia54-0.4 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.

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Questions

Which state has the highest labor force participation rate?

District of Columbia, with 70.5% in May 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 54% in May 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