Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in February 2026, at 6.5%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2.3%. The median was 4.2% and the figure for the United States was 4.4%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest6.5District of Columbia
Lowest2.3South Dakota
Median4.251 states
United States4.4History

All states, February 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 6.5 %6.5CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.4 %5.4DelawareDelaware: 5.4 %5.4NevadaNevada: 5.3 %5.3OregonOregon: 5.2 %5.2New JerseyNew Jersey: 5.1 %5.1WashingtonWashington: 5.1 %5.1IllinoisIllinois: 5 %5MichiganMichigan: 5 %5South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 5 %5MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.8 %4.8AlaskaAlaska: 4.7 %4.7ConnecticutConnecticut: 4.7 %4.7New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.7 %4.7West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4.7 %4.7ArizonaArizona: 4.6 %4.6FloridaFlorida: 4.6 %4.6New YorkNew York: 4.6 %4.6Rhode IslandRhode Island: 4.6 %4.6MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.5 %4.5ArkansasArkansas: 4.4 %4.4LouisianaLouisiana: 4.3 %4.3MarylandMaryland: 4.3 %4.3TexasTexas: 4.3 %4.3KentuckyKentucky: 4.2 %4.2OhioOhio: 4.2 %4.2PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 4.2 %4.2ColoradoColorado: 3.9 %3.9KansasKansas: 3.9 %3.9MissouriMissouri: 3.9 %3.9OklahomaOklahoma: 3.9 %3.9North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.8 %3.8UtahUtah: 3.8 %3.8VirginiaVirginia: 3.8 %3.8IdahoIdaho: 3.7 %3.7MississippiMississippi: 3.7 %3.7GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.6 %3.6MontanaMontana: 3.6 %3.6TennesseeTennessee: 3.6 %3.6WyomingWyoming: 3.6 %3.6IowaIowa: 3.4 %3.4WisconsinWisconsin: 3.4 %3.4IndianaIndiana: 3.3 %3.3MaineMaine: 3.2 %3.2New HampshireNew Hampshire: 3.2 %3.2NebraskaNebraska: 3.1 %3.1AlabamaAlabama: 2.7 %2.7North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.6 %2.6VermontVermont: 2.6 %2.6HawaiiHawaii: 2.3 %2.3South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2.3 %2.3
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesFebruary 2026 (%)Change on February 2025
1District of Columbia6.5+0.6 pts
2California5.40 pts
2Delaware5.4+1.1 pts
4Nevada5.3-0.1 pts
5Oregon5.2+0.3 pts
6New Jersey5.1+0.1 pts
6Washington5.1+0.7 pts
8Illinois5+0.3 pts
8Michigan5-0.3 pts
8South Carolina5+0.9 pts
11Massachusetts4.8+0.5 pts
12Alaska4.7+0.1 pts
12Connecticut4.7+1 pts
12New Mexico4.7+0.6 pts
12West Virginia4.7+0.9 pts
16Arizona4.6+0.4 pts
16Florida4.6+1 pts
16New York4.6+0.5 pts
16Rhode Island4.6+0.1 pts
20Minnesota4.5+1 pts
21Arkansas4.4+0.6 pts
22Louisiana4.30 pts
22Maryland4.3+0.7 pts
22Texas4.3+0.2 pts
25Kentucky4.2-0.6 pts
25Ohio4.2-0.7 pts
25Pennsylvania4.2+0.1 pts
28Colorado3.9-0.4 pts
28Kansas3.9+0.1 pts
28Missouri3.9-0.1 pts
28Oklahoma3.9+0.8 pts
32North Carolina3.80 pts
32Utah3.8+0.4 pts
32Virginia3.8+0.6 pts
35Idaho3.70 pts
35Mississippi3.7-0.2 pts
37Georgia3.6+0.2 pts
37Montana3.6+0.6 pts
37Tennessee3.6+0.1 pts
37Wyoming3.6+0.4 pts
41Iowa3.4-0.1 pts
41Wisconsin3.4+0.1 pts
43Indiana3.3-0.5 pts
44Maine3.2-0.1 pts
44New Hampshire3.2+0.1 pts
46Nebraska3.1+0.2 pts
47Alabama2.7-0.3 pts
48North Dakota2.60 pts
48Vermont2.60 pts
50Hawaii2.3-0.3 pts
50South Dakota2.3+0.3 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 6.5% in February 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2.3% in February 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