Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in September 2025, at 6.6%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2.1%. The median was 4.2% and the figure for the United States was 4.4%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest6.6District of Columbia
Lowest2.1South Dakota
Median4.251 states
United States4.4History

All states, September 2025

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 6.6 %6.6CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.5 %5.5New JerseyNew Jersey: 5.5 %5.5OregonOregon: 5.3 %5.3DelawareDelaware: 5.2 %5.2NevadaNevada: 5.2 %5.2MichiganMichigan: 4.9 %4.9AlaskaAlaska: 4.7 %4.7South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 4.7 %4.7WashingtonWashington: 4.7 %4.7MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.6 %4.6New YorkNew York: 4.6 %4.6IllinoisIllinois: 4.5 %4.5KentuckyKentucky: 4.5 %4.5West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4.5 %4.5ArizonaArizona: 4.4 %4.4PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 4.4 %4.4MarylandMaryland: 4.3 %4.3OhioOhio: 4.3 %4.3Rhode IslandRhode Island: 4.3 %4.3TexasTexas: 4.3 %4.3ArkansasArkansas: 4.2 %4.2ConnecticutConnecticut: 4.2 %4.2FloridaFlorida: 4.2 %4.2LouisianaLouisiana: 4.2 %4.2New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.2 %4.2MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.1 %4.1MissouriMissouri: 3.9 %3.9North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.9 %3.9ColoradoColorado: 3.8 %3.8KansasKansas: 3.8 %3.8IndianaIndiana: 3.7 %3.7MississippiMississippi: 3.7 %3.7IdahoIdaho: 3.6 %3.6OklahomaOklahoma: 3.6 %3.6UtahUtah: 3.6 %3.6MontanaMontana: 3.5 %3.5TennesseeTennessee: 3.5 %3.5GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.4 %3.4IowaIowa: 3.4 %3.4VirginiaVirginia: 3.4 %3.4WyomingWyoming: 3.4 %3.4MaineMaine: 3.3 %3.3New HampshireNew Hampshire: 3.2 %3.2WisconsinWisconsin: 3.1 %3.1NebraskaNebraska: 2.9 %2.9AlabamaAlabama: 2.8 %2.8North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.6 %2.6VermontVermont: 2.6 %2.6HawaiiHawaii: 2.1 %2.1South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2.1 %2.1
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesSeptember 2025 (%)Change on September 2024
1District of Columbia6.6+1.2 pts
2California5.5+0.1 pts
2New Jersey5.5+0.8 pts
4Oregon5.3+0.9 pts
5Delaware5.2+1.3 pts
5Nevada5.2-0.3 pts
7Michigan4.9-0.2 pts
8Alaska4.7+0.1 pts
8South Carolina4.7+0.2 pts
8Washington4.7+0.3 pts
11Massachusetts4.6+0.5 pts
11New York4.6+0.4 pts
13Illinois4.5-0.5 pts
13Kentucky4.5-0.4 pts
13West Virginia4.5+0.5 pts
16Arizona4.4+0.5 pts
16Pennsylvania4.4+0.5 pts
18Maryland4.3+1 pts
18Ohio4.3-0.2 pts
18Rhode Island4.3-0.1 pts
18Texas4.3+0.1 pts
22Arkansas4.2+0.7 pts
22Connecticut4.2+0.8 pts
22Florida4.2+0.7 pts
22Louisiana4.2-0.3 pts
22New Mexico4.20 pts
27Minnesota4.1+0.8 pts
28Missouri3.9+0.2 pts
28North Carolina3.9+0.2 pts
30Colorado3.8-0.5 pts
30Kansas3.8+0.1 pts
32Indiana3.7-0.5 pts
32Mississippi3.7+0.3 pts
34Idaho3.60 pts
34Oklahoma3.6+0.5 pts
34Utah3.6+0.2 pts
37Montana3.5+0.5 pts
37Tennessee3.50 pts
39Georgia3.4-0.1 pts
39Iowa3.40 pts
39Virginia3.4+0.4 pts
39Wyoming3.4+0.1 pts
43Maine3.3+0.2 pts
44New Hampshire3.2+0.5 pts
45Wisconsin3.1+0.1 pts
46Nebraska2.9+0.1 pts
47Alabama2.8-0.3 pts
48North Dakota2.6+0.1 pts
48Vermont2.6+0.2 pts
50Hawaii2.1-0.7 pts
50South Dakota2.1+0.2 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 6.6% in September 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2.1% in September 2025.

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