Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in May 2026, at 6.1%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2.1%. The median was 4.2% and the figure for the United States was 4.3%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest6.1District of Columbia
Lowest2.1South Dakota
Median4.251 states
United States4.3History

All states, May 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 6.1 %6.1CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.3 %5.3NevadaNevada: 5.2 %5.2OregonOregon: 5.2 %5.2WashingtonWashington: 5.2 %5.2ConnecticutConnecticut: 5.1 %5.1DelawareDelaware: 5.1 %5.1IllinoisIllinois: 5.1 %5.1MichiganMichigan: 5.1 %5.1New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.9 %4.9ArizonaArizona: 4.8 %4.8FloridaFlorida: 4.8 %4.8New JerseyNew Jersey: 4.7 %4.7AlaskaAlaska: 4.6 %4.6New YorkNew York: 4.6 %4.6South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 4.6 %4.6KentuckyKentucky: 4.5 %4.5LouisianaLouisiana: 4.5 %4.5MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.5 %4.5MarylandMaryland: 4.4 %4.4MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.4 %4.4Rhode IslandRhode Island: 4.3 %4.3TexasTexas: 4.3 %4.3West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4.3 %4.3ArkansasArkansas: 4.2 %4.2PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 4.2 %4.2OklahomaOklahoma: 4.1 %4.1ColoradoColorado: 3.9 %3.9KansasKansas: 3.8 %3.8MississippiMississippi: 3.8 %3.8MissouriMissouri: 3.8 %3.8VirginiaVirginia: 3.8 %3.8IdahoIdaho: 3.7 %3.7North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.7 %3.7OhioOhio: 3.7 %3.7UtahUtah: 3.7 %3.7TennesseeTennessee: 3.6 %3.6GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.4 %3.4MontanaMontana: 3.4 %3.4WisconsinWisconsin: 3.4 %3.4WyomingWyoming: 3.4 %3.4IndianaIndiana: 3.3 %3.3IowaIowa: 3.2 %3.2MaineMaine: 3.1 %3.1AlabamaAlabama: 3 %3NebraskaNebraska: 3 %3New HampshireNew Hampshire: 3 %3VermontVermont: 2.6 %2.6HawaiiHawaii: 2.5 %2.5North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.4 %2.4South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2.1 %2.1
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesMay 2026 (%)Change on May 2025
1District of Columbia6.10 pts
2California5.3-0.2 pts
3Nevada5.20 pts
3Oregon5.20 pts
3Washington5.2+0.7 pts
6Connecticut5.1+1.3 pts
6Delaware5.1+0.6 pts
6Illinois5.1+0.7 pts
6Michigan5.10 pts
10New Mexico4.9+0.9 pts
11Arizona4.8+0.5 pts
11Florida4.8+1.1 pts
13New Jersey4.7-0.5 pts
14Alaska4.60 pts
14New York4.6+0.4 pts
14South Carolina4.6+0.3 pts
17Kentucky4.5-0.2 pts
17Louisiana4.5+0.2 pts
17Massachusetts4.5+0.1 pts
20Maryland4.4+0.4 pts
20Minnesota4.4+0.7 pts
22Rhode Island4.3-0.1 pts
22Texas4.3+0.2 pts
22West Virginia4.3+0.3 pts
25Arkansas4.2+0.2 pts
25Pennsylvania4.20 pts
27Oklahoma4.1+1 pts
28Colorado3.9-0.2 pts
29Kansas3.80 pts
29Mississippi3.8-0.1 pts
29Missouri3.8-0.2 pts
29Virginia3.8+0.5 pts
33Idaho3.7+0.1 pts
33North Carolina3.7-0.1 pts
33Ohio3.7-1 pts
33Utah3.7+0.2 pts
37Tennessee3.6+0.1 pts
38Georgia3.4+0.1 pts
38Montana3.4+0.2 pts
38Wisconsin3.4+0.3 pts
38Wyoming3.4+0.2 pts
42Indiana3.3-0.4 pts
43Iowa3.2-0.4 pts
44Maine3.1-0.2 pts
45Alabama3+0.1 pts
45Nebraska3+0.1 pts
45New Hampshire3-0.2 pts
48Vermont2.60 pts
49Hawaii2.5+0.1 pts
50North Dakota2.4-0.2 pts
51South Dakota2.1+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 6.1% in May 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2.1% in May 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