Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / US states

US states by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Nevada had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 51 states in 2023, at 6.8%. North Dakota had the lowest, at 2.8%. The median was 4.9% and the figure for the United States was 5.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest6.8Nevada
Lowest2.8North Dakota
Median4.951 states
United States5.2History

Map of states, 2023

Alabama: 4.8 %Alaska: 5.8 %Arizona: 5.2 %Arkansas: 5.1 %California: 6.4 %Colorado: 4.5 %Connecticut: 5.7 %Delaware: 5.1 %District of Columbia: 6.5 %Florida: 4.8 %Georgia: 5.1 %Hawaii: 5 %Idaho: 3.7 %Illinois: 5.8 %Indiana: 4.3 %Iowa: 3.6 %Kansas: 3.9 %Kentucky: 4.8 %Louisiana: 6.3 %Maine: 3.9 %Maryland: 4.9 %Massachusetts: 5.1 %Michigan: 5.8 %Minnesota: 3.9 %Mississippi: 6 %Missouri: 4.1 %Montana: 3.8 %Nebraska: 3 %Nevada: 6.8 %New Hampshire: 3.4 %New Jersey: 6.2 %New Mexico: 6 %New York: 6.2 %North Carolina: 4.8 %North Dakota: 2.8 %Ohio: 4.9 %Oklahoma: 4.9 %Oregon: 5.4 %Pennsylvania: 5.3 %Rhode Island: 5.7 %South Carolina: 5 %South Dakota: 3 %Tennessee: 4.7 %Texas: 5.1 %Utah: 3.4 %Vermont: 3.7 %Virginia: 4.3 %Washington: 5 %West Virginia: 5.7 %Wisconsin: 3.3 %Wyoming: 3.7 %
  • Under 3.7
  • 3.7 to 4.4
  • 4.4 to 4.9
  • 4.9 to 5.1
  • 5.1 to 5.8
  • 5.8 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2023

Nevada: 6.8 %Nevada6.8District of Columbia: 6.5 %District of Columbia6.5California: 6.4 %California6.4Louisiana: 6.3 %Louisiana6.3New York: 6.2 %New York6.2New Jersey: 6.2 %New Jersey6.2Mississippi: 6 %Mississippi6New Mexico: 6 %New Mexico6Michigan: 5.8 %Michigan5.8Illinois: 5.8 %Illinois5.8Alaska: 5.8 %Alaska5.8West Virginia: 5.7 %West Virginia5.7Rhode Island: 5.7 %Rhode Island5.7Connecticut: 5.7 %Connecticut5.7Oregon: 5.4 %Oregon5.4Pennsylvania: 5.3 %Pennsylvania5.3Arizona: 5.2 %Arizona5.2Massachusetts: 5.1 %Massachusetts5.1Texas: 5.1 %Texas5.1Georgia: 5.1 %Georgia5.1Arkansas: 5.1 %Arkansas5.1Delaware: 5.1 %Delaware5.1Hawaii: 5 %Hawaii5Washington: 5 %Washington5South Carolina: 5 %South Carolina5Maryland: 4.9 %Maryland4.9Oklahoma: 4.9 %Oklahoma4.9Ohio: 4.9 %Ohio4.9Kentucky: 4.8 %Kentucky4.8North Carolina: 4.8 %North Carolina4.8Alabama: 4.8 %Alabama4.8Florida: 4.8 %Florida4.8Tennessee: 4.7 %Tennessee4.7Colorado: 4.5 %Colorado4.5Indiana: 4.3 %Indiana4.3Virginia: 4.3 %Virginia4.3Missouri: 4.1 %Missouri4.1Minnesota: 3.9 %Minnesota3.9Maine: 3.9 %Maine3.9Kansas: 3.9 %Kansas3.9Montana: 3.8 %Montana3.8Wyoming: 3.7 %Wyoming3.7Idaho: 3.7 %Idaho3.7Vermont: 3.7 %Vermont3.7Iowa: 3.6 %Iowa3.6Utah: 3.4 %Utah3.4New Hampshire: 3.4 %New Hampshire3.4Wisconsin: 3.3 %Wisconsin3.3South Dakota: 3 %South Dakota3Nebraska: 3 %Nebraska3North Dakota: 2.8 %North Dakota2.8Nevada: 6.8 %Nevada6.8District of Columbia: 6.5 %District of Columbia6.5California: 6.4 %California6.4Louisiana: 6.3 %Louisiana6.3New York: 6.2 %New York6.2New Jersey: 6.2 %New Jersey6.2Mississippi: 6 %Mississippi6New Mexico: 6 %New Mexico6Michigan: 5.8 %Michigan5.8Illinois: 5.8 %Illinois5.8Alaska: 5.8 %Alaska5.8West Virginia: 5.7 %West Virginia5.7Rhode Island: 5.7 %Rhode Island5.7Connecticut: 5.7 %Connecticut5.7Oregon: 5.4 %Oregon5.4Pennsylvania: 5.3 %Pennsylvania5.3Arizona: 5.2 %Arizona5.2Massachusetts: 5.1 %Massachusetts5.1Texas: 5.1 %Texas5.1Georgia: 5.1 %Georgia5.1Arkansas: 5.1 %Arkansas5.1Delaware: 5.1 %Delaware5.1Hawaii: 5 %Hawaii5Washington: 5 %Washington5South Carolina: 5 %South Carolina5Maryland: 4.9 %Maryland4.9Oklahoma: 4.9 %Oklahoma4.9Ohio: 4.9 %Ohio4.9Kentucky: 4.8 %Kentucky4.8North Carolina: 4.8 %North Carolina4.8Alabama: 4.8 %Alabama4.8Florida: 4.8 %Florida4.8Tennessee: 4.7 %Tennessee4.7Colorado: 4.5 %Colorado4.5Indiana: 4.3 %Indiana4.3Virginia: 4.3 %Virginia4.3Missouri: 4.1 %Missouri4.1Minnesota: 3.9 %Minnesota3.9Maine: 3.9 %Maine3.9Kansas: 3.9 %Kansas3.9Montana: 3.8 %Montana3.8Wyoming: 3.7 %Wyoming3.7Idaho: 3.7 %Idaho3.7Vermont: 3.7 %Vermont3.7Iowa: 3.6 %Iowa3.6Utah: 3.4 %Utah3.4New Hampshire: 3.4 %New Hampshire3.4Wisconsin: 3.3 %Wisconsin3.3South Dakota: 3 %South Dakota3Nebraska: 3 %Nebraska3North Dakota: 2.8 %North Dakota2.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Nevada6.8-0.2 pts
2District of Columbia6.5-0.6 pts
3California6.40 pts
4Louisiana6.3-0.3 pts
5New York6.2-0 pts
6New Jersey6.2-0.1 pts
7Mississippi6-0.4 pts
8New Mexico6-0.2 pts
9Michigan5.8-0.2 pts
10Illinois5.8-0.2 pts
11Alaska5.8-0.6 pts
12West Virginia5.7-0.3 pts
13Rhode Island5.7-0.2 pts
14Connecticut5.7-0.3 pts
15Oregon5.4-0.2 pts
16Pennsylvania5.3-0.1 pts
17Arizona5.2-0.2 pts
18Massachusetts5.1-0.2 pts
18Texas5.1-0.1 pts
20Georgia5.1-0.1 pts
21Arkansas5.1-0.1 pts
22Delaware5.1-0.4 pts
23Hawaii5-0 pts
24Washington5-0 pts
25South Carolina5-0.2 pts
26Maryland4.9-0.2 pts
27Oklahoma4.90 pts
28Ohio4.9-0.2 pts
29Kentucky4.8-0.3 pts
29North Carolina4.8-0.3 pts
31Alabama4.8-0.3 pts
32Florida4.8-0.2 pts
33Tennessee4.7-0.3 pts
34Colorado4.5-0 pts
35Indiana4.3-0.2 pts
35Virginia4.3-0.1 pts
37Missouri4.1-0.2 pts
38Minnesota3.9-0 pts
39Maine3.9-0.1 pts
40Kansas3.9-0.1 pts
41Montana3.8-0.1 pts
42Wyoming3.7-0.1 pts
43Idaho3.7-0.1 pts
44Vermont3.7-0.2 pts
45Iowa3.6-0.2 pts
46Utah3.4+0.1 pts
47New Hampshire3.4-0.2 pts
48Wisconsin3.3-0.1 pts
49South Dakota3-0.1 pts
50Nebraska3-0.1 pts
51North Dakota2.8-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

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. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (US states by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US states by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/us-states?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. US states by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/us-states?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, US states by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/us-states?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_unemployment_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: US states by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/us-states?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: US states by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/us-states?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/us-states?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Nevada, with 6.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

North Dakota, with 2.8% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

US states: more rankings