Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in January 2026, at 6.7%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2.2%. The median was 4.3% and the figure for the United States was 4.3%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest6.7District of Columbia
Lowest2.2South Dakota
Median4.351 states
United States4.3History

All states, January 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 6.7 %6.7CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.4 %5.4DelawareDelaware: 5.4 %5.4NevadaNevada: 5.3 %5.3New JerseyNew Jersey: 5.2 %5.2OregonOregon: 5.2 %5.2MichiganMichigan: 5 %5WashingtonWashington: 5 %5IllinoisIllinois: 4.9 %4.9South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 4.9 %4.9AlaskaAlaska: 4.8 %4.8MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.7 %4.7New YorkNew York: 4.6 %4.6West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4.6 %4.6ArizonaArizona: 4.5 %4.5ConnecticutConnecticut: 4.5 %4.5FloridaFlorida: 4.5 %4.5New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.5 %4.5Rhode IslandRhode Island: 4.5 %4.5ArkansasArkansas: 4.4 %4.4MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.4 %4.4KentuckyKentucky: 4.3 %4.3LouisianaLouisiana: 4.3 %4.3MarylandMaryland: 4.3 %4.3OhioOhio: 4.3 %4.3PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 4.3 %4.3TexasTexas: 4.3 %4.3ColoradoColorado: 3.9 %3.9KansasKansas: 3.9 %3.9MissouriMissouri: 3.9 %3.9OklahomaOklahoma: 3.9 %3.9North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.8 %3.8UtahUtah: 3.8 %3.8IdahoIdaho: 3.7 %3.7VirginiaVirginia: 3.7 %3.7MississippiMississippi: 3.6 %3.6MontanaMontana: 3.6 %3.6WyomingWyoming: 3.6 %3.6GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.5 %3.5TennesseeTennessee: 3.5 %3.5IndianaIndiana: 3.4 %3.4IowaIowa: 3.4 %3.4MaineMaine: 3.3 %3.3WisconsinWisconsin: 3.3 %3.3New HampshireNew Hampshire: 3.2 %3.2NebraskaNebraska: 3 %3AlabamaAlabama: 2.7 %2.7VermontVermont: 2.7 %2.7North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.6 %2.6HawaiiHawaii: 2.2 %2.2South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2.2 %2.2
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesJanuary 2026 (%)Change on January 2025
1District of Columbia6.7+1 pts
2California5.40 pts
2Delaware5.4+1.3 pts
4Nevada5.3-0.1 pts
5New Jersey5.2+0.3 pts
5Oregon5.2+0.4 pts
7Michigan5-0.3 pts
7Washington5+0.6 pts
9Illinois4.9+0.2 pts
9South Carolina4.9+0.8 pts
11Alaska4.8+0.3 pts
12Massachusetts4.7+0.5 pts
13New York4.6+0.5 pts
13West Virginia4.6+0.8 pts
15Arizona4.5+0.3 pts
15Connecticut4.5+0.9 pts
15Florida4.5+1 pts
15New Mexico4.5+0.4 pts
15Rhode Island4.50 pts
20Arkansas4.4+0.6 pts
20Minnesota4.4+1 pts
22Kentucky4.3-0.5 pts
22Louisiana4.30 pts
22Maryland4.3+0.8 pts
22Ohio4.3-0.5 pts
22Pennsylvania4.3+0.2 pts
22Texas4.3+0.2 pts
28Colorado3.9-0.4 pts
28Kansas3.9+0.1 pts
28Missouri3.90 pts
28Oklahoma3.9+0.8 pts
32North Carolina3.80 pts
32Utah3.8+0.5 pts
34Idaho3.70 pts
34Virginia3.7+0.5 pts
36Mississippi3.6-0.3 pts
36Montana3.6+0.7 pts
36Wyoming3.6+0.4 pts
39Georgia3.5+0.1 pts
39Tennessee3.50 pts
41Indiana3.4-0.5 pts
41Iowa3.4-0.1 pts
43Maine3.30 pts
43Wisconsin3.30 pts
45New Hampshire3.2+0.2 pts
46Nebraska3+0.1 pts
47Alabama2.7-0.4 pts
47Vermont2.7+0.1 pts
49North Dakota2.60 pts
50Hawaii2.2-0.4 pts
50South Dakota2.2+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 6.7% in January 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2.2% in January 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