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 June 2026, at 70.3%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 53.9%. The median was 62.3% and the figure for the United States was 61.5%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest70.3District of Columbia
Lowest53.9West Virginia
Median62.351 states
United States61.5History

All states, June 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 70.3 %70.3NebraskaNebraska: 69.6 %69.6North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69.5 %69.5IowaIowa: 67.3 %67.3KansasKansas: 67 %67MinnesotaMinnesota: 67 %67South DakotaSouth Dakota: 67 %67UtahUtah: 66.4 %66.4AlaskaAlaska: 65.8 %65.8ColoradoColorado: 65.6 %65.6MassachusettsMassachusetts: 65.3 %65.3New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65.1 %65.1WisconsinWisconsin: 64.5 %64.5TexasTexas: 64.2 %64.2MarylandMaryland: 63.9 %63.9IllinoisIllinois: 63.5 %63.5New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.5 %63.5MissouriMissouri: 63.3 %63.3IndianaIndiana: 63.2 %63.2NevadaNevada: 63.1 %63.1VirginiaVirginia: 63.1 %63.1ConnecticutConnecticut: 62.4 %62.4OregonOregon: 62.4 %62.4PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 62.4 %62.4Rhode IslandRhode Island: 62.3 %62.3VermontVermont: 62.3 %62.3WashingtonWashington: 62.3 %62.3OklahomaOklahoma: 61.9 %61.9CaliforniaCalifornia: 61.8 %61.8IdahoIdaho: 61.8 %61.8OhioOhio: 61.6 %61.6MontanaMontana: 61.5 %61.5New YorkNew York: 61.5 %61.5GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.9 %60.9HawaiiHawaii: 60.9 %60.9WyomingWyoming: 60.5 %60.5ArizonaArizona: 60.3 %60.3MichiganMichigan: 59.5 %59.5TennesseeTennessee: 59.4 %59.4ArkansasArkansas: 59.2 %59.2MaineMaine: 59 %59South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.9 %58.9LouisianaLouisiana: 58.7 %58.7DelawareDelaware: 58.4 %58.4North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 58.3 %58.3FloridaFlorida: 57.6 %57.6KentuckyKentucky: 57.5 %57.5AlabamaAlabama: 57.1 %57.1New MexicoNew Mexico: 56.9 %56.9MississippiMississippi: 55.2 %55.2West VirginiaWest Virginia: 53.9 %53.9
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesJune 2026 (%)Change on June 2025
1District of Columbia70.3-1.7 pts
2Nebraska69.6-0.4 pts
3North Dakota69.50 pts
4Iowa67.3-0.4 pts
5Kansas67-0.8 pts
5Minnesota67-1.3 pts
5South Dakota67-1.2 pts
8Utah66.4-1.5 pts
9Alaska65.8+0.3 pts
10Colorado65.6-1.6 pts
11Massachusetts65.3-1.3 pts
12New Hampshire65.1-0.3 pts
13Wisconsin64.5+0.3 pts
14Texas64.2-0.6 pts
15Maryland63.9-0.7 pts
16Illinois63.5-0.7 pts
16New Jersey63.50 pts
18Missouri63.3-0.2 pts
19Indiana63.2-0.7 pts
20Nevada63.1+0.4 pts
20Virginia63.1-1.1 pts
22Connecticut62.4-1.7 pts
22Oregon62.4-0.5 pts
22Pennsylvania62.4+1 pts
25Rhode Island62.3-1.9 pts
25Vermont62.3-1.8 pts
25Washington62.3-0.4 pts
28Oklahoma61.9-1.3 pts
29California61.8-0.6 pts
29Idaho61.8-1.5 pts
31Ohio61.6-0.9 pts
32Montana61.5-0.9 pts
32New York61.5+0.6 pts
34Georgia60.9+0.2 pts
34Hawaii60.9+0.3 pts
36Wyoming60.5-1 pts
37Arizona60.3-1.8 pts
38Michigan59.5-1.7 pts
39Tennessee59.4-1.1 pts
40Arkansas59.2+0.7 pts
41Maine59-0.8 pts
42South Carolina58.9+0.7 pts
43Louisiana58.7+0.8 pts
44Delaware58.4-1.4 pts
45North Carolina58.3-1.1 pts
46Florida57.6-0.1 pts
47Kentucky57.5-0.8 pts
48Alabama57.1-0.4 pts
49New Mexico56.9-0.7 pts
50Mississippi55.2-0.5 pts
51West Virginia53.9-0.5 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 70.3% in June 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 53.9% in June 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