Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / US states

US states by unemployment rate

District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate of 51 states in July 2026, at 5.9%. South Dakota had the lowest, at 2%. The median was 3.9% and the figure for the United States was 4.1%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Highest5.9District of Columbia
Lowest2South Dakota
Median3.951 states
United States4.1History

All states, July 2026

CSVChart (SVG)

District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 5.9 %5.9ConnecticutConnecticut: 5.2 %5.2OregonOregon: 5.2 %5.2CaliforniaCalifornia: 5.1 %5.1NevadaNevada: 5 %5WashingtonWashington: 5 %5ArizonaArizona: 4.9 %4.9IllinoisIllinois: 4.9 %4.9MichiganMichigan: 4.9 %4.9DelawareDelaware: 4.8 %4.8New MexicoNew Mexico: 4.8 %4.8KentuckyKentucky: 4.7 %4.7FloridaFlorida: 4.6 %4.6TexasTexas: 4.5 %4.5LouisianaLouisiana: 4.4 %4.4MassachusettsMassachusetts: 4.4 %4.4New JerseyNew Jersey: 4.4 %4.4New YorkNew York: 4.4 %4.4AlaskaAlaska: 4.3 %4.3MinnesotaMinnesota: 4.3 %4.3OklahomaOklahoma: 4.3 %4.3MarylandMaryland: 4.2 %4.2South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 4.2 %4.2West VirginiaWest Virginia: 4.1 %4.1ArkansasArkansas: 4 %4ColoradoColorado: 3.9 %3.9PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 3.9 %3.9Rhode IslandRhode Island: 3.9 %3.9KansasKansas: 3.8 %3.8VirginiaVirginia: 3.7 %3.7IdahoIdaho: 3.6 %3.6MississippiMississippi: 3.6 %3.6MissouriMissouri: 3.6 %3.6North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 3.6 %3.6UtahUtah: 3.6 %3.6AlabamaAlabama: 3.4 %3.4OhioOhio: 3.4 %3.4TennesseeTennessee: 3.4 %3.4GeorgiaGeorgia: 3.3 %3.3IndianaIndiana: 3.3 %3.3WisconsinWisconsin: 3.3 %3.3IowaIowa: 3.2 %3.2MontanaMontana: 3.2 %3.2MaineMaine: 3.1 %3.1WyomingWyoming: 3 %3NebraskaNebraska: 2.9 %2.9New HampshireNew Hampshire: 2.8 %2.8HawaiiHawaii: 2.7 %2.7VermontVermont: 2.6 %2.6North DakotaNorth Dakota: 2.2 %2.2South DakotaSouth Dakota: 2 %2
%. Source: BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStatesJuly 2026 (%)Change on July 2025
1District of Columbia5.9-0.4 pts
2Connecticut5.2+1.3 pts
2Oregon5.2-0.1 pts
4California5.1-0.4 pts
5Nevada5-0.2 pts
5Washington5+0.4 pts
7Arizona4.9+0.6 pts
7Illinois4.9+0.6 pts
7Michigan4.90 pts
10Delaware4.80 pts
10New Mexico4.8+0.8 pts
12Kentucky4.7+0.1 pts
13Florida4.6+0.7 pts
14Texas4.5+0.3 pts
15Louisiana4.4+0.1 pts
15Massachusetts4.4-0.1 pts
15New Jersey4.4-1.1 pts
15New York4.40 pts
19Alaska4.3-0.3 pts
19Minnesota4.3+0.5 pts
19Oklahoma4.3+1 pts
22Maryland4.20 pts
22South Carolina4.2-0.2 pts
24West Virginia4.1-0.1 pts
25Arkansas4-0.1 pts
26Colorado3.90 pts
26Pennsylvania3.9-0.5 pts
26Rhode Island3.9-0.3 pts
29Kansas3.8+0.1 pts
30Virginia3.7+0.4 pts
31Idaho3.60 pts
31Mississippi3.6-0.2 pts
31Missouri3.6-0.4 pts
31North Carolina3.6-0.3 pts
31Utah3.6+0.1 pts
36Alabama3.4+0.6 pts
36Ohio3.4-1.1 pts
36Tennessee3.4-0.1 pts
39Georgia3.30 pts
39Indiana3.3-0.4 pts
39Wisconsin3.3+0.3 pts
42Iowa3.2-0.3 pts
42Montana3.2-0.1 pts
44Maine3.1-0.2 pts
45Wyoming3-0.3 pts
46Nebraska2.90 pts
47New Hampshire2.8-0.3 pts
48Hawaii2.7+0.5 pts
49Vermont2.60 pts
50North Dakota2.2-0.4 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.

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Questions

Which state has the highest unemployment rate?

District of Columbia, with 5.9% in July 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, with 2% in July 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