Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate, August 2026

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in August 2026, at 5.7%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2%. The median was 3.9% and the figure for the United States was 4.1%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest5.7District of Columbia
Lowest2South Dakota
Median3.951 states
United States4.1History

All states, August 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 5.7 %5.7CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.1 %5.1ConnecticutConnecticut: 5.1 %5.1OregonOregon: 5.1 %5.1MichiganMichigan: 5 %5ArizonaArizona: 4.9 %4.9WashingtonWashington: 4.9 %4.9NevadaNevada: 4.8 %4.8DelawareDelaware: 4.7 %4.7IllinoisIllinois: 4.7 %4.7KentuckyKentucky: 4.7 %4.7New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.7 %4.7FloridaFlorida: 4.5 %4.5MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.4 %4.4TexasTexas: 4.4 %4.4AlaskaAlaska: 4.3 %4.3MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.3 %4.3New JerseyNew Jersey: 4.3 %4.3New YorkNew York: 4.3 %4.3OklahomaOklahoma: 4.3 %4.3LouisianaLouisiana: 4.2 %4.2MarylandMaryland: 4.1 %4.1South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 4.1 %4.1ColoradoColorado: 4 %4West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4 %4ArkansasArkansas: 3.9 %3.9KansasKansas: 3.8 %3.8PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 3.7 %3.7Rhode IslandRhode Island: 3.7 %3.7IdahoIdaho: 3.6 %3.6VirginiaVirginia: 3.6 %3.6MissouriMissouri: 3.5 %3.5North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.5 %3.5UtahUtah: 3.5 %3.5AlabamaAlabama: 3.4 %3.4MississippiMississippi: 3.4 %3.4TennesseeTennessee: 3.4 %3.4IndianaIndiana: 3.3 %3.3OhioOhio: 3.3 %3.3GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.2 %3.2IowaIowa: 3.2 %3.2MaineMaine: 3.2 %3.2MontanaMontana: 3.2 %3.2WisconsinWisconsin: 3.2 %3.2WyomingWyoming: 3 %3NebraskaNebraska: 2.9 %2.9New HampshireNew Hampshire: 2.8 %2.8HawaiiHawaii: 2.7 %2.7VermontVermont: 2.6 %2.6North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.2 %2.2South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2 %2
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesAugust 2026 (%)Change on August 2025
1District of Columbia Provisional5.7-0.8 pts
2California Provisional5.1-0.4 pts
2Connecticut Provisional5.1+1 pts
2Oregon Provisional5.1-0.2 pts
5Michigan Provisional5+0.1 pts
6Arizona Provisional4.9+0.5 pts
6Washington Provisional4.9+0.3 pts
8Nevada Provisional4.8-0.4 pts
9Delaware Provisional4.7-0.3 pts
9Illinois Provisional4.7+0.4 pts
9Kentucky Provisional4.7+0.2 pts
9New Mexico Provisional4.7+0.6 pts
13Florida Provisional4.5+0.5 pts
14Minnesota Provisional4.4+0.5 pts
14Texas Provisional4.4+0.2 pts
16Alaska Provisional4.3-0.3 pts
16Massachusetts Provisional4.3-0.2 pts
16New Jersey Provisional4.3-1.2 pts
16New York Provisional4.3-0.2 pts
16Oklahoma Provisional4.3+0.9 pts
21Louisiana Provisional4.20 pts
22Maryland Provisional4.1-0.2 pts
22South Carolina Provisional4.1-0.5 pts
24Colorado Provisional4+0.1 pts
24West Virginia Provisional4-0.3 pts
26Arkansas Provisional3.9-0.3 pts
27Kansas Provisional3.8+0.1 pts
28Pennsylvania Provisional3.7-0.7 pts
28Rhode Island Provisional3.7-0.6 pts
30Idaho Provisional3.60 pts
30Virginia Provisional3.6+0.3 pts
32Missouri Provisional3.5-0.5 pts
32North Carolina Provisional3.5-0.4 pts
32Utah Provisional3.5-0.1 pts
35Alabama Provisional3.4+0.6 pts
35Mississippi Provisional3.4-0.3 pts
35Tennessee Provisional3.4-0.1 pts
38Indiana Provisional3.3-0.4 pts
38Ohio Provisional3.3-1.1 pts
40Georgia Provisional3.2-0.2 pts
40Iowa Provisional3.2-0.3 pts
40Maine Provisional3.2-0.1 pts
40Montana Provisional3.2-0.2 pts
40Wisconsin Provisional3.2+0.1 pts
45Wyoming Provisional3-0.3 pts
46Nebraska Provisional2.90 pts
47New Hampshire Provisional2.8-0.3 pts
48Hawaii Provisional2.7+0.6 pts
49Vermont Provisional2.60 pts
50North Dakota Provisional2.2-0.4 pts
51South Dakota Provisional2-0.1 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. 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 and counties. Other countries and the World: ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank, aged 15 and over.

Survey-based. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states and US counties, not Spanish municipalities. For municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate. US national and state rates are seasonally adjusted; county rates are not. Countries without a national or Eurostat series get the annual ILO modelled estimate, a model output rather than a survey result.

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. Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by state, seasonally adjusted. 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 unemployment rate?

District of Columbia, with 5.7% in August 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2% in August 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: unemployment rate by state, seasonally adjusted. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

US states: more rankings