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 July 2026, at 70.2%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 53.8%. The median was 62.1% and the figure for the United States was 61.4%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest70.2District of Columbia
Lowest53.8West Virginia
Median62.151 states
United States61.4History

All states, July 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 70.2 %70.2NebraskaNebraska: 69.4 %69.4North DakotaNorth Dakota: 69.2 %69.2IowaIowa: 67.1 %67.1MinnesotaMinnesota: 66.9 %66.9South DakotaSouth Dakota: 66.8 %66.8KansasKansas: 66.7 %66.7UtahUtah: 66.3 %66.3AlaskaAlaska: 65.7 %65.7ColoradoColorado: 65.5 %65.5MassachusettsMassachusetts: 65.3 %65.3New HampshireNew Hampshire: 65 %65WisconsinWisconsin: 64.5 %64.5TexasTexas: 64.2 %64.2MarylandMaryland: 63.8 %63.8New JerseyNew Jersey: 63.5 %63.5IllinoisIllinois: 63.3 %63.3MissouriMissouri: 63.3 %63.3IndianaIndiana: 63.1 %63.1VirginiaVirginia: 63 %63NevadaNevada: 62.8 %62.8PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 62.5 %62.5OregonOregon: 62.4 %62.4ConnecticutConnecticut: 62.2 %62.2Rhode IslandRhode Island: 62.1 %62.1VermontVermont: 62.1 %62.1WashingtonWashington: 62.1 %62.1OklahomaOklahoma: 61.9 %61.9CaliforniaCalifornia: 61.6 %61.6IdahoIdaho: 61.6 %61.6MontanaMontana: 61.5 %61.5OhioOhio: 61.4 %61.4New YorkNew York: 61.3 %61.3HawaiiHawaii: 61 %61GeorgiaGeorgia: 60.9 %60.9WyomingWyoming: 60.3 %60.3ArizonaArizona: 60.1 %60.1TennesseeTennessee: 59.3 %59.3ArkansasArkansas: 59.2 %59.2MichiganMichigan: 59.1 %59.1MaineMaine: 58.8 %58.8South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 58.8 %58.8LouisianaLouisiana: 58.5 %58.5DelawareDelaware: 58.1 %58.1North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 58 %58KentuckyKentucky: 57.7 %57.7FloridaFlorida: 57.4 %57.4AlabamaAlabama: 56.9 %56.9New MexicoNew Mexico: 56.8 %56.8MississippiMississippi: 55 %55West VirginiaWest Virginia: 53.8 %53.8
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesJuly 2026 (%)Change on July 2025
1District of Columbia70.2-1.6 pts
2Nebraska69.4-0.7 pts
3North Dakota69.2-0.4 pts
4Iowa67.1-0.6 pts
5Minnesota66.9-1.4 pts
6South Dakota66.8-1.4 pts
7Kansas66.7-1.2 pts
8Utah66.3-1.5 pts
9Alaska65.7+0.2 pts
10Colorado65.5-1.6 pts
11Massachusetts65.3-1.2 pts
12New Hampshire65-0.4 pts
13Wisconsin64.5+0.4 pts
14Texas64.2-0.6 pts
15Maryland63.8-0.8 pts
16New Jersey63.5-0.1 pts
17Illinois63.3-0.7 pts
17Missouri63.3-0.2 pts
19Indiana63.1-0.7 pts
20Virginia63-1.1 pts
21Nevada62.80 pts
22Pennsylvania62.5+1.1 pts
23Oregon62.4-0.6 pts
24Connecticut62.2-1.8 pts
25Rhode Island62.1-2 pts
25Vermont62.1-1.9 pts
25Washington62.1-0.6 pts
28Oklahoma61.9-1.3 pts
29California61.6-0.8 pts
29Idaho61.6-1.6 pts
31Montana61.5-0.9 pts
32Ohio61.4-1 pts
33New York61.3+0.3 pts
34Hawaii61+0.5 pts
35Georgia60.9+0.2 pts
36Wyoming60.3-1 pts
37Arizona60.1-2 pts
38Tennessee59.3-1.3 pts
39Arkansas59.2+0.6 pts
40Michigan59.1-2 pts
41Maine58.8-1 pts
41South Carolina58.8+0.6 pts
43Louisiana58.5+0.6 pts
44Delaware58.1-1.7 pts
45North Carolina58-1.4 pts
46Kentucky57.7-0.6 pts
47Florida57.4-0.2 pts
48Alabama56.9-0.6 pts
49New Mexico56.8-0.8 pts
50Mississippi55-0.7 pts
51West Virginia53.8-0.6 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 70.2% in July 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest labor force participation rate?

West Virginia, with 53.8% in July 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