Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in March 2026, at 6.3%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2.3%. The median was 4.2% and the figure for the United States was 4.3%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

All states, March 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 6.3 %6.3DelawareDelaware: 5.4 %5.4CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.3 %5.3NevadaNevada: 5.3 %5.3OregonOregon: 5.2 %5.2IllinoisIllinois: 5.1 %5.1WashingtonWashington: 5.1 %5.1MichiganMichigan: 5 %5New JerseyNew Jersey: 4.9 %4.9South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 4.9 %4.9ConnecticutConnecticut: 4.8 %4.8New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.8 %4.8AlaskaAlaska: 4.7 %4.7ArizonaArizona: 4.7 %4.7FloridaFlorida: 4.7 %4.7MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.7 %4.7Rhode IslandRhode Island: 4.7 %4.7New YorkNew York: 4.6 %4.6MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.5 %4.5West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4.5 %4.5LouisianaLouisiana: 4.4 %4.4ArkansasArkansas: 4.3 %4.3MarylandMaryland: 4.3 %4.3TexasTexas: 4.3 %4.3KentuckyKentucky: 4.2 %4.2PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 4.2 %4.2OhioOhio: 4.1 %4.1ColoradoColorado: 3.9 %3.9KansasKansas: 3.9 %3.9MissouriMissouri: 3.9 %3.9OklahomaOklahoma: 3.9 %3.9MississippiMississippi: 3.8 %3.8UtahUtah: 3.8 %3.8VirginiaVirginia: 3.8 %3.8North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.7 %3.7IdahoIdaho: 3.6 %3.6MontanaMontana: 3.6 %3.6TennesseeTennessee: 3.6 %3.6WyomingWyoming: 3.6 %3.6GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.5 %3.5WisconsinWisconsin: 3.5 %3.5IndianaIndiana: 3.3 %3.3IowaIowa: 3.3 %3.3MaineMaine: 3.2 %3.2NebraskaNebraska: 3.1 %3.1New HampshireNew Hampshire: 3.1 %3.1AlabamaAlabama: 2.7 %2.7VermontVermont: 2.6 %2.6North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.5 %2.5HawaiiHawaii: 2.4 %2.4South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2.3 %2.3
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesMarch 2026 (%)Change on March 2025
1District of Columbia6.3+0.3 pts
2Delaware5.4+1 pts
3California5.3-0.1 pts
3Nevada5.30 pts
5Oregon5.2+0.2 pts
6Illinois5.1+0.5 pts
6Washington5.1+0.6 pts
8Michigan5-0.3 pts
9New Jersey4.9-0.2 pts
9South Carolina4.9+0.7 pts
11Connecticut4.8+1.1 pts
11New Mexico4.8+0.7 pts
13Alaska4.7+0.1 pts
13Arizona4.7+0.5 pts
13Florida4.7+1.1 pts
13Massachusetts4.7+0.4 pts
13Rhode Island4.7+0.2 pts
18New York4.6+0.5 pts
19Minnesota4.5+0.9 pts
19West Virginia4.5+0.6 pts
21Louisiana4.4+0.1 pts
22Arkansas4.3+0.4 pts
22Maryland4.3+0.6 pts
22Texas4.3+0.2 pts
25Kentucky4.2-0.5 pts
25Pennsylvania4.20 pts
27Ohio4.1-0.7 pts
28Colorado3.9-0.3 pts
28Kansas3.9+0.1 pts
28Missouri3.9-0.1 pts
28Oklahoma3.9+0.8 pts
32Mississippi3.8-0.1 pts
32Utah3.8+0.4 pts
32Virginia3.8+0.5 pts
35North Carolina3.7-0.1 pts
36Idaho3.60 pts
36Montana3.6+0.5 pts
36Tennessee3.6+0.1 pts
36Wyoming3.6+0.4 pts
40Georgia3.5+0.1 pts
40Wisconsin3.5+0.3 pts
42Indiana3.3-0.4 pts
42Iowa3.3-0.3 pts
44Maine3.2-0.1 pts
45Nebraska3.1+0.2 pts
45New Hampshire3.1-0.1 pts
47Alabama2.7-0.3 pts
48Vermont2.60 pts
49North Dakota2.5-0.1 pts
50Hawaii2.4-0.1 pts
51South 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 6.3% in March 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2.3% 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: unemployment rate by state, seasonally adjusted. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

US states: more rankings