US cities by unemployment rate
Calexico, CA had the highest unemployment rate of 1706 cities in March 2026, at 26.4%. Rapid City, SD had the lowest, at 1.8%. The median was 4.1% and the figure for the United States was 4.3%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Top 40 cities, March 2026
Full ranking
| Rank | Cities | March 2026 (%) | Change on March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calexico, CA | 26.4 | -0.1 pts |
| 2 | Delano, CA | 25.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 3 | Reedley, CA | 22.3 | -0.3 pts |
| 4 | Dinuba, CA | 17.3 | -1.2 pts |
| 5 | Watsonville, CA | 16.7 | -1.1 pts |
| 6 | San Luis, AZ | 15.8 | +0.1 pts |
| 7 | Brawley, CA | 15.6 | +1.3 pts |
| 7 | Corcoran, CA | 15.6 | -1.4 pts |
| 9 | Porterville, CA | 15 | -0.3 pts |
| 10 | Wasco, CA | 14.6 | -2 pts |
| 11 | Soledad, CA | 14 | -1.5 pts |
| 12 | Los Banos, CA | 13.8 | -1.2 pts |
| 13 | El Centro, CA | 13.6 | 0 pts |
| 14 | Salinas, CA | 13.4 | -1 pts |
| 15 | Flint, MI | 13.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 16 | Eastpointe, MI | 12 | +0.4 pts |
| 17 | Saginaw, MI | 10.8 | -1.3 pts |
| 18 | Eagle Pass, TX | 10.7 | -1.3 pts |
| 18 | Round Lake Beach, IL | 10.7 | +1.9 pts |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | 10.5 | +0.1 pts |
| 21 | Paradise, CA | 10.1 | 0 pts |
| 22 | Patterson, CA | 10 | -0.7 pts |
| 23 | Sanger, CA | 9.7 | -0.9 pts |
| 24 | Yuba City, CA | 9.6 | -0.5 pts |
| 25 | Madera, CA | 9.5 | -0.2 pts |
| 26 | Inkster, MI | 9.4 | +0.1 pts |
| 26 | Jackson, MI | 9.4 | -1.1 pts |
| 28 | Pontiac, MI | 9.3 | +0.4 pts |
| 29 | Chicago Heights, IL | 9.2 | +0.8 pts |
| 30 | Atlantic City, NJ | 8.9 | -1.3 pts |
| 30 | Hanford, CA | 8.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 30 | Yuma, AZ | 8.9 | +0.1 pts |
| 33 | Atwater, CA | 8.8 | -1.4 pts |
| 33 | Bay City, MI | 8.8 | -0.9 pts |
| 33 | Carpentersville, IL | 8.8 | +1.4 pts |
| 33 | Riverbank, CA | 8.8 | -0.5 pts |
| 37 | Kankakee, IL | 8.7 | +1.3 pts |
| 37 | Oak Park, MI | 8.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 39 | Camden, NJ | 8.6 | -1.2 pts |
| 39 | Hamtramck, MI | 8.6 | +0.1 pts |
| 39 | Marshalltown, IA | 8.6 | -0.7 pts |
| 39 | Port Arthur, TX | 8.6 | +1.4 pts |
| 43 | Maywood, IL | 8.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 44 | Ceres, CA | 8.4 | -0.7 pts |
| 45 | Gary, IN | 8.3 | -0.4 pts |
| 45 | Waukegan, IL | 8.3 | +1.2 pts |
| 47 | Port Huron, MI | 8.2 | +0.5 pts |
| 48 | Santa Paula, CA | 8.1 | 0 pts |
| 49 | East St. Louis, IL | 8 | +1.7 pts |
| 50 | Dolton, IL | 7.9 | +0.2 pts |
| 50 | Merced, CA | 7.9 | -0.9 pts |
| 50 | Millville, NJ | 7.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 50 | Paterson, NJ | 7.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 50 | Plainfield, NJ | 7.9 | -0.7 pts |
| 55 | Elgin, IL | 7.8 | +1 pts |
| 55 | North Chicago, IL | 7.8 | +1.8 pts |
| 55 | Waterbury, CT | 7.8 | +1.8 pts |
| 58 | Coachella, CA | 7.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 58 | Santa Maria, CA | 7.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 58 | Warren, OH | 7.7 | +0.3 pts |
| 61 | Bridgeton, NJ | 7.6 | -0.8 pts |
| 61 | Chester, PA | 7.6 | +2.2 pts |
| 61 | Hartford, CT | 7.6 | +1.8 pts |
| 61 | Vineland, NJ | 7.6 | -0.4 pts |
| 65 | Belvidere, IL | 7.5 | +1.1 pts |
| 65 | Fall River, MA | 7.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 65 | Hollister, CA | 7.5 | -0.9 pts |
| 65 | Lemoore, CA | 7.5 | -0.3 pts |
| 65 | Newark, DE | 7.5 | +0.9 pts |
| 70 | New Bedford, MA | 7.4 | +0.5 pts |
| 71 | Adelanto, CA | 7.3 | -0.9 pts |
| 71 | Decatur, IL | 7.3 | +1.1 pts |
| 71 | Moses Lake, WA | 7.3 | +0.5 pts |
| 71 | Mount Pleasant, MI | 7.3 | -1.2 pts |
| 75 | Rockford, IL | 7.2 | +1.3 pts |
| 75 | Zion, IL | 7.2 | +0.2 pts |
| 77 | Dover, DE | 7.1 | +1.2 pts |
| 77 | Hemet, CA | 7.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 77 | Muskegon, MI | 7.1 | -1.1 pts |
| 77 | Tulare, CA | 7.1 | -0.4 pts |
| 77 | Woodland, CA | 7.1 | 0 pts |
| 82 | Baytown, TX | 7 | +0.8 pts |
| 82 | Stockton, CA | 7 | -0.5 pts |
| 82 | Trenton, NJ | 7 | -1 pts |
| 85 | Bullhead City, AZ | 6.9 | +1.9 pts |
| 85 | Harvey, IL | 6.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 85 | Youngstown, OH | 6.9 | -0.1 pts |
| 88 | Barstow, CA | 6.8 | +0.3 pts |
| 88 | Brownsville, TX | 6.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 88 | Danville, IL | 6.8 | +0.9 pts |
| 88 | East Orange, NJ | 6.8 | -0.9 pts |
| 88 | Lancaster, CA | 6.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 88 | Newark, NJ | 6.8 | -0.7 pts |
| 88 | Pine Bluff, AR | 6.8 | +1 pts |
| 95 | Columbia, TN | 6.7 | +3.3 pts |
| 95 | New Britain, CT | 6.7 | +1.4 pts |
| 97 | Bridgeport, CT | 6.6 | +1.4 pts |
| 97 | Calumet City, IL | 6.6 | 0 pts |
| 97 | Del Rio, TX | 6.6 | +1.7 pts |
| 97 | New Castle, PA | 6.6 | +0.9 pts |
| 97 | Perth Amboy, NJ | 6.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 97 | San Juan, TX | 6.6 | +0.5 pts |
| 97 | Springfield, MA | 6.6 | +0.3 pts |
| 97 | Warren, MI | 6.6 | +0.2 pts |
| 97 | West Memphis, AR | 6.6 | +0.2 pts |
| 106 | East Chicago, IN | 6.5 | -0.4 pts |
| 106 | Fort Pierce, FL | 6.5 | +1.4 pts |
| 106 | Galesburg, IL | 6.5 | +1.6 pts |
| 106 | Joliet, IL | 6.5 | +0.5 pts |
| 106 | Lansing, IL | 6.5 | +0.5 pts |
| 106 | Lawrence, MA | 6.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 106 | Lodi, CA | 6.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 106 | Park Forest, IL | 6.5 | +0.2 pts |
| 114 | Hanover Park, IL | 6.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 114 | Meriden, CT | 6.4 | +1.5 pts |
| 114 | Niagara Falls, NY | 6.4 | +0.7 pts |
| 114 | Peoria, IL | 6.4 | +1.2 pts |
| 114 | Romulus, MI | 6.4 | 0 pts |
| 114 | San Benito, TX | 6.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 114 | Victorville, CA | 6.4 | -0.6 pts |
| 121 | Ansonia, CT | 6.3 | +1.4 pts |
| 121 | Apple Valley, CA | 6.3 | -0.4 pts |
| 121 | Ardmore, OK | 6.3 | +2.6 pts |
| 121 | Banning, CA | 6.3 | -0.3 pts |
| 121 | Gloucester, MA | 6.3 | -0.2 pts |
| 121 | Harrisburg, PA | 6.3 | +1.5 pts |
| 121 | Mundelein, IL | 6.3 | +1.3 pts |
| 121 | Roseville, MI | 6.3 | +0.2 pts |
| 121 | Wilmington, DE | 6.3 | +0.7 pts |
| 121 | York, PA | 6.3 | +1.3 pts |
| 131 | Allentown, PA | 6.2 | +1.6 pts |
| 131 | Bakersfield, CA | 6.2 | -0.2 pts |
| 131 | Burbank, CA | 6.2 | -0.9 pts |
| 131 | Derby, CT | 6.2 | +1.6 pts |
| 131 | Fresno, CA | 6.2 | -0.4 pts |
| 131 | Galt, CA | 6.2 | 0 pts |
| 131 | Grants Pass, OR | 6.2 | -0.3 pts |
| 131 | Modesto, CA | 6.2 | -0.5 pts |
| 131 | North Adams, MA | 6.2 | +0.8 pts |
| 131 | Pasco, WA | 6.2 | +0.4 pts |
| 131 | Perris, CA | 6.2 | +0.6 pts |
| 131 | Yakima, WA | 6.2 | +0.4 pts |
| 143 | Danville, VA | 6.1 | +1.2 pts |
| 143 | Hesperia, CA | 6.1 | -0.3 pts |
| 143 | Palmer Town, MA | 6.1 | -0.1 pts |
| 143 | Pekin, IL | 6.1 | +1.1 pts |
| 143 | Providence, RI | 6.1 | +0.4 pts |
| 143 | Salisbury, MD | 6.1 | +1.2 pts |
| 143 | Twentynine Palms, CA | 6.1 | -0.4 pts |
| 143 | Venice, FL | 6.1 | +1.5 pts |
| 151 | Daytona Beach, FL | 6 | +1.4 pts |
| 151 | Fitchburg, MA | 6 | 0 pts |
| 151 | Johnstown, PA | 6 | +1.1 pts |
| 151 | Kokomo, IN | 6 | -0.8 pts |
| 151 | Longview, WA | 6 | +0.6 pts |
| 151 | Medford, OR | 6 | 0 pts |
| 151 | New London, CT | 6 | +1.7 pts |
| 151 | Palmdale, CA | 6 | -0.5 pts |
| 151 | Pharr, TX | 6 | +0.1 pts |
| 151 | Prichard, AL | 6 | -0.2 pts |
| 151 | Racine, WI | 6 | +0.5 pts |
| 151 | Reading, PA | 6 | +1 pts |
| 151 | San Jacinto, CA | 6 | -0.3 pts |
| 151 | Southfield, MI | 6 | +0.2 pts |
| 151 | Torrington, CT | 6 | +1.5 pts |
| 151 | Weslaco, TX | 6 | -0.3 pts |
| 151 | West Hollywood, CA | 6 | -0.8 pts |
| 151 | Woonsocket, RI | 6 | -0.1 pts |
| 169 | Burbank, IL | 5.9 | 0 pts |
| 169 | Burton, MI | 5.9 | -0.6 pts |
| 169 | Carbondale, IL | 5.9 | +1 pts |
| 169 | Compton, CA | 5.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 169 | Gainesville, FL | 5.9 | +1.2 pts |
| 169 | Holyoke, MA | 5.9 | +0.2 pts |
| 169 | Melrose Park, IL | 5.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 169 | Naugatuck, CT | 5.9 | +1.5 pts |
| 169 | Sandusky, OH | 5.9 | -1.6 pts |
| 169 | Southbridge Town, MA | 5.9 | -0.1 pts |
| 169 | Streamwood, IL | 5.9 | +0.2 pts |
| 180 | Cicero, IL | 5.8 | -0.1 pts |
| 180 | Conway, SC | 5.8 | +0.3 pts |
| 180 | DeLand, FL | 5.8 | +1.3 pts |
| 180 | Federal Way, WA | 5.8 | +0.7 pts |
| 180 | Garden City, MI | 5.8 | +0.1 pts |
| 180 | Hazleton, PA | 5.8 | +1.1 pts |
| 180 | Lansing, MI | 5.8 | -0.7 pts |
| 180 | Moline, IL | 5.8 | +0.9 pts |
| 180 | North Las Vegas, NV | 5.8 | 0 pts |
| 180 | Passaic, NJ | 5.8 | -0.9 pts |
| 180 | West Chicago, IL | 5.8 | +0.1 pts |
| 191 | Barberton, OH | 5.7 | -1.5 pts |
| 191 | Battle Creek, MI | 5.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 191 | Bristol, CT | 5.7 | +1.3 pts |
| 191 | Central Falls, RI | 5.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 191 | Des Moines, WA | 5.7 | +0.6 pts |
| 191 | Elizabeth, NJ | 5.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 191 | Gardner, MA | 5.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 191 | Lakewood, WA | 5.7 | +0.7 pts |
| 191 | Lancaster, TX | 5.7 | 0 pts |
| 191 | Martinsville, VA | 5.7 | +0.3 pts |
| 191 | Monroe, LA | 5.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 191 | Moreno Valley, CA | 5.7 | 0 pts |
| 191 | Pueblo, CO | 5.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 191 | Visalia, CA | 5.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 191 | Wilkes-Barre, PA | 5.7 | +1.5 pts |
| 206 | Baltimore, MD | 5.6 | +0.8 pts |
| 206 | Freeport, IL | 5.6 | +0.7 pts |
| 206 | Greenfield, MA | 5.6 | +1.2 pts |
| 206 | Haines City, FL | 5.6 | +1 pts |
| 206 | Leesburg, FL | 5.6 | +1.4 pts |
| 206 | Lockport, NY | 5.6 | +0.6 pts |
| 206 | Manteca, CA | 5.6 | 0 pts |
| 206 | Owatonna, MN | 5.6 | +0.4 pts |
| 206 | Rahway, NJ | 5.6 | 0 pts |
| 206 | Redmond, OR | 5.6 | 0 pts |
| 206 | Sierra Vista, AZ | 5.6 | +1.4 pts |
| 206 | Toledo, OH | 5.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 206 | Turlock, CA | 5.6 | -0.2 pts |
| 206 | West Haven, CT | 5.6 | +1.3 pts |
| 206 | Williamsburg, VA | 5.6 | +0.2 pts |
| 221 | Addison, IL | 5.5 | +0.3 pts |
| 221 | Aurora, IL | 5.5 | +0.8 pts |
| 221 | Barnstable Town, MA | 5.5 | +0.1 pts |
| 221 | Bell Gardens, CA | 5.5 | 0 pts |
| 221 | Cudahy, CA | 5.5 | 0 pts |
| 221 | Forest Grove, OR | 5.5 | 0 pts |
| 221 | Hagerstown, MD | 5.5 | +0.8 pts |
| 221 | Harlingen, TX | 5.5 | +0.9 pts |
| 221 | Inglewood, CA | 5.5 | -0.3 pts |
| 221 | Las Vegas, NV | 5.5 | 0 pts |
| 221 | Lincoln Park, MI | 5.5 | +0.1 pts |
| 221 | Merrillville, IN | 5.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 221 | New Haven, CT | 5.5 | +1.2 pts |
| 221 | New Iberia, LA | 5.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 221 | Norwich, CT | 5.5 | +1.1 pts |
| 221 | Oak Lawn, IL | 5.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 221 | Petersburg, VA | 5.5 | +0.7 pts |
| 221 | Rochester, NY | 5.5 | +0.7 pts |
| 221 | Rock Island, IL | 5.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 221 | SeaTac, WA | 5.5 | +0.5 pts |
| 221 | Springfield, IL | 5.5 | +1.1 pts |
| 221 | Sterling Heights, MI | 5.5 | +0.2 pts |
| 221 | Sumter, SC | 5.5 | 0 pts |
| 244 | Alton, IL | 5.4 | +1.1 pts |
| 244 | Bell, CA | 5.4 | 0 pts |
| 244 | Berwyn, IL | 5.4 | +0.1 pts |
| 244 | Brockton, MA | 5.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 244 | Burien, WA | 5.4 | +0.6 pts |
| 244 | Chicopee, MA | 5.4 | +0.1 pts |
| 244 | Dearborn Heights, MI | 5.4 | 0 pts |
Other periods
About this ranking
Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work.
More on how it is measured
- Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over.
- EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74.
- United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states, counties and cities.
- United Kingdom regions: Labour Force Survey, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted.
- Canada: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the country and the provinces.
- Australia: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the nation and the six states; the ABS publishes no seasonally adjusted series for the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
- New Zealand: Household Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted for the country and not seasonally adjusted for regional council areas.
- Norway: Statistics Norway Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted monthly figures.
- Sweden: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted and smoothed (the series Statistics Sweden gives in its monthly release), national.
- Switzerland: Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS), ILO definition, permanent resident population aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages, national.
- For other countries, the source may be OECD survey-based rates, annual survey-based rates compiled by the ILO in ILOSTAT, or annual ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank.
- ILO modelled estimates cover ages 15 and over.
- The World series uses those ILO modelled estimates.
Survey-based for national and Eurostat series. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states, US counties, US cities (those of 25,000 or more and smaller New England cities), United Kingdom regions, Canadian provinces, Australia and its six states, New Zealand with 10 of its regions, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland (national), not Spanish municipalities. For Spanish municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate.
Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.
How to cite
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.Citation styles
APA 7
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03) (US cities by unemployment rate, 2026-03) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29
MLA 9
Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), US cities by unemployment rate, 2026-03. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/us-cities?period=2026-03. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
Chicago (author-date)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). US cities by unemployment rate, 2026-03. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/us-cities?period=2026-03.
Harvard
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), US cities by unemployment rate, 2026-03 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/us-cities?period=2026-03 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_cities_by_unemployment_2026,
author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
title = {{Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): US cities by unemployment rate, 2026-03}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Data set},
url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29},
urldate = {2026-10-12},
note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/us-cities?period=2026-03. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY - DATA
AU - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI - Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): US cities by unemployment rate, 2026-03
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
PB - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB - Invokely
UR - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29
L2 - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/us-cities?period=2026-03
Y2 - 2026/10/12
N1 - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/us-cities?period=2026-03.
N1 - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER -
Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank US cities by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"unemployment_rate","level":"municipality","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=unemployment_rate&level=municipality&within=United%20States&limit=10Questions
Which city has the highest unemployment rate?
Calexico, CA, with 26.4% in March 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Which city has the lowest unemployment rate?
Rapid City, SD, with 1.8% in March 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, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.
Unemployment rate: other rankings
- Cities in Connecticut
- Cities in Oregon
- Cities in Nevada
- Counties in Wisconsin
- Counties in Alaska
- Regions of Austria (NUTS 2)