Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in June 2026, at 6%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2%. The median was 4.1% and the figure for the United States was 4.2%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest6District of Columbia
Lowest2South Dakota
Median4.151 states
United States4.2History

All states, June 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 6 %6CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.2 %5.2ConnecticutConnecticut: 5.2 %5.2OregonOregon: 5.2 %5.2WashingtonWashington: 5.2 %5.2IllinoisIllinois: 5.1 %5.1NevadaNevada: 5.1 %5.1MichiganMichigan: 5 %5ArizonaArizona: 4.9 %4.9DelawareDelaware: 4.9 %4.9New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.8 %4.8FloridaFlorida: 4.7 %4.7KentuckyKentucky: 4.7 %4.7New YorkNew York: 4.6 %4.6New JerseyNew Jersey: 4.5 %4.5AlaskaAlaska: 4.4 %4.4LouisianaLouisiana: 4.4 %4.4MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.4 %4.4MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.4 %4.4South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 4.4 %4.4TexasTexas: 4.4 %4.4MarylandMaryland: 4.3 %4.3OklahomaOklahoma: 4.2 %4.2West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4.2 %4.2ArkansasArkansas: 4.1 %4.1PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 4.1 %4.1Rhode IslandRhode Island: 4.1 %4.1ColoradoColorado: 3.9 %3.9KansasKansas: 3.8 %3.8MississippiMississippi: 3.8 %3.8VirginiaVirginia: 3.8 %3.8IdahoIdaho: 3.7 %3.7MissouriMissouri: 3.7 %3.7North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.6 %3.6OhioOhio: 3.6 %3.6UtahUtah: 3.6 %3.6TennesseeTennessee: 3.5 %3.5GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.4 %3.4IndianaIndiana: 3.3 %3.3MontanaMontana: 3.3 %3.3WisconsinWisconsin: 3.3 %3.3AlabamaAlabama: 3.2 %3.2IowaIowa: 3.2 %3.2WyomingWyoming: 3.2 %3.2MaineMaine: 3.1 %3.1NebraskaNebraska: 2.9 %2.9New HampshireNew Hampshire: 2.9 %2.9HawaiiHawaii: 2.6 %2.6VermontVermont: 2.6 %2.6North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.3 %2.3South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2 %2
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesJune 2026 (%)Change on June 2025
1District of Columbia6-0.2 pts
2California5.2-0.3 pts
2Connecticut5.2+1.3 pts
2Oregon5.20 pts
2Washington5.2+0.7 pts
6Illinois5.1+0.8 pts
6Nevada5.1-0.1 pts
8Michigan50 pts
9Arizona4.9+0.6 pts
9Delaware4.9+0.2 pts
11New Mexico4.8+0.8 pts
12Florida4.7+0.9 pts
12Kentucky4.7+0.1 pts
14New York4.6+0.3 pts
15New Jersey4.5-0.9 pts
16Alaska4.4-0.2 pts
16Louisiana4.4+0.1 pts
16Massachusetts4.40 pts
16Minnesota4.4+0.6 pts
16South Carolina4.40 pts
16Texas4.4+0.3 pts
22Maryland4.3+0.2 pts
23Oklahoma4.2+1 pts
23West Virginia4.2+0.2 pts
25Arkansas4.1+0.1 pts
25Pennsylvania4.1-0.2 pts
25Rhode Island4.1-0.2 pts
28Colorado3.9-0.1 pts
29Kansas3.8+0.1 pts
29Mississippi3.80 pts
29Virginia3.8+0.6 pts
32Idaho3.7+0.1 pts
32Missouri3.7-0.3 pts
34North Carolina3.6-0.2 pts
34Ohio3.6-1 pts
34Utah3.6+0.1 pts
37Tennessee3.50 pts
38Georgia3.4+0.1 pts
39Indiana3.3-0.4 pts
39Montana3.3+0.1 pts
39Wisconsin3.3+0.2 pts
42Alabama3.2+0.3 pts
42Iowa3.2-0.3 pts
42Wyoming3.20 pts
45Maine3.1-0.2 pts
46Nebraska2.90 pts
46New Hampshire2.9-0.2 pts
48Hawaii2.6+0.3 pts
48Vermont2.60 pts
50North Dakota2.3-0.3 pts
51South Dakota20 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.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"unemployment_rate","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=unemployment_rate&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest unemployment rate?

District of Columbia, with 6% in June 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2% in June 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