US States · Unemployment rate

US States by Unemployment Rate

Data: BLS LAUS, September 2026, seasonally adjusted (preliminary) Updated: Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CSV

This ranking uses the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, the official source for state unemployment rates. Unlike the annual Census lists on this site, it updates every month, so it is the best place to see how state job markets are moving right now.

In September 2026, District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate at 5.6% and South Dakota the lowest at 2.0%.

Key facts

Highest

  1. 1District of Columbia5.6%
  2. 2California5.1%
  3. 2Connecticut5.1%

Lowest

  1. 51South Dakota2.0%
  2. 50North Dakota2.2%
  3. 48Vermont2.6%
Median of 51 states
3.9%
states ranked
51

Unemployment rate by state

Shaded by quintile; darker = higher. Hover a state for its value and rank.

Alabama: 3.5% (rank 33 of 51)Alaska: 4.3% (rank 16 of 51)Arizona: 4.9% (rank 6 of 51)Colorado: 4.1% (rank 21 of 51)Florida: 4.4% (rank 14 of 51)Georgia: 3.3% (rank 39 of 51)Indiana: 3.4% (rank 35 of 51)Kansas: 3.8% (rank 27 of 51)Maine: 3.3% (rank 39 of 51)Massachusetts: 4.3% (rank 16 of 51)Minnesota: 4.5% (rank 13 of 51)New Jersey: 4.2% (rank 19 of 51)North Carolina: 3.4% (rank 35 of 51)North Dakota: 2.2% (rank 50 of 51)Oklahoma: 4.2% (rank 19 of 51)Pennsylvania: 3.6% (rank 28 of 51)South Dakota: 2.0% (rank 51 of 51)Texas: 4.4% (rank 14 of 51)Wyoming: 3.0% (rank 45 of 51)Connecticut: 5.1% (rank 2 of 51)Missouri: 3.6% (rank 28 of 51)West Virginia: 4.0% (rank 22 of 51)Illinois: 4.6% (rank 11 of 51)New Mexico: 4.7% (rank 8 of 51)Arkansas: 3.9% (rank 25 of 51)California: 5.1% (rank 2 of 51)Delaware: 4.6% (rank 11 of 51)Hawaii: 2.8% (rank 47 of 51)Iowa: 3.2% (rank 42 of 51)Kentucky: 4.7% (rank 8 of 51)Maryland: 3.9% (rank 25 of 51)Michigan: 5.0% (rank 4 of 51)Mississippi: 3.3% (rank 39 of 51)Montana: 3.1% (rank 44 of 51)New Hampshire: 2.6% (rank 48 of 51)New York: 4.3% (rank 16 of 51)Ohio: 3.4% (rank 35 of 51)Oregon: 5.0% (rank 4 of 51)Tennessee: 3.4% (rank 35 of 51)Utah: 3.5% (rank 33 of 51)Virginia: 3.6% (rank 28 of 51)Washington: 4.8% (rank 7 of 51)Wisconsin: 3.2% (rank 42 of 51)Nebraska: 2.9% (rank 46 of 51)South Carolina: 4.0% (rank 22 of 51)Idaho: 3.6% (rank 28 of 51)Nevada: 4.7% (rank 8 of 51)Vermont: 2.6% (rank 48 of 51)Louisiana: 4.0% (rank 22 of 51)Rhode Island: 3.6% (rank 28 of 51) District of Columbia: 5.6% (rank 1 of 51)
  • 2.0%–3.3%
  • 3.4%–3.6%
  • 3.8%–4.1%
  • 4.2%–4.6%
  • 4.7%–5.6%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS LAUS, September 2026, seasonally adjusted (preliminary). Map: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas), Albers USA projection; Alaska and Hawaii repositioned.

Highest and lowest states

Unemployment rate.

Highest 10

  1. 1. District of Columbia 5.6%
  2. 2. California 5.1%
  3. 2. Connecticut 5.1%
  4. 4. Michigan 5.0%
  5. 4. Oregon 5.0%
  6. 6. Arizona 4.9%
  7. 7. Washington 4.8%
  8. 8. Kentucky 4.7%
  9. 8. Nevada 4.7%
  10. 8. New Mexico 4.7%

Lowest 10

  1. 42. Iowa 3.2%
  2. 42. Wisconsin 3.2%
  3. 44. Montana 3.1%
  4. 45. Wyoming 3.0%
  5. 46. Nebraska 2.9%
  6. 47. Hawaii 2.8%
  7. 48. New Hampshire 2.6%
  8. 48. Vermont 2.6%
  9. 50. North Dakota 2.2%
  10. 51. South Dakota 2.0%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS LAUS, September 2026, seasonally adjusted (preliminary).

Full ranking

Download CSV 51 rows
Select a column header to sort (press again to reverse).
1 District of Columbia 5.6% 6.6%−1.0 South
2 California 5.1% 5.5%−0.4 West
2 Connecticut 5.1% 4.2%+0.9 Northeast
4 Michigan 5.0% 4.9%+0.1 Midwest
4 Oregon 5.0% 5.3%−0.3 West
6 Arizona 4.9% 4.4%+0.5 West
7 Washington 4.8% 4.7%+0.1 West
8 Kentucky 4.7% 4.5%+0.2 South
8 Nevada 4.7% 5.2%−0.5 West
8 New Mexico 4.7% 4.2%+0.5 West
11 Delaware 4.6% 5.2%−0.6 South
11 Illinois 4.6% 4.5%+0.1 Midwest
13 Minnesota 4.5% 4.1%+0.4 Midwest
14 Florida 4.4% 4.2%+0.2 South
14 Texas 4.4% 4.3%+0.1 South
16 Alaska 4.3% 4.7%−0.4 West
16 Massachusetts 4.3% 4.6%−0.3 Northeast
16 New York 4.3% 4.6%−0.3 Northeast
19 New Jersey 4.2% 5.5%−1.3 Northeast
19 Oklahoma 4.2% 3.6%+0.6 South
21 Colorado 4.1% 3.8%+0.3 West
22 Louisiana 4.0% 4.2%−0.2 South
22 South Carolina 4.0% 4.7%−0.7 South
22 West Virginia 4.0% 4.5%−0.5 South
25 Arkansas 3.9% 4.2%−0.3 South
25 Maryland 3.9% 4.3%−0.4 South
27 Kansas 3.8% 3.8%0.0 Midwest
28 Idaho 3.6% 3.6%0.0 West
28 Missouri 3.6% 3.9%−0.3 Midwest
28 Pennsylvania 3.6% 4.4%−0.8 Northeast
28 Rhode Island 3.6% 4.3%−0.7 Northeast
28 Virginia 3.6% 3.4%+0.2 South
33 Alabama 3.5% 2.8%+0.7 South
33 Utah 3.5% 3.6%−0.1 West
35 Indiana 3.4% 3.7%−0.3 Midwest
35 North Carolina 3.4% 3.9%−0.5 South
35 Ohio 3.4% 4.3%−0.9 Midwest
35 Tennessee 3.4% 3.5%−0.1 South
39 Georgia 3.3% 3.4%−0.1 South
39 Maine 3.3% 3.3%0.0 Northeast
39 Mississippi 3.3% 3.7%−0.4 South
42 Iowa 3.2% 3.4%−0.2 Midwest
42 Wisconsin 3.2% 3.1%+0.1 Midwest
44 Montana 3.1% 3.5%−0.4 West
45 Wyoming 3.0% 3.4%−0.4 West
46 Nebraska 2.9% 2.9%0.0 Midwest
47 Hawaii 2.8% 2.1%+0.7 West
48 New Hampshire 2.6% 3.2%−0.6 Northeast
48 Vermont 2.6% 2.6%0.0 Northeast
50 North Dakota 2.2% 2.6%−0.4 Midwest
51 South Dakota 2.0% 2.1%−0.1 Midwest

Methodology

Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates from BLS LAUS series LASST[FIPS]0000000000003 for the most recent month available, alongside the same month one year earlier. The most recent month is usually marked preliminary and may be revised. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people actively looking for work as a percentage of the civilian labor force.

Puerto Rico and other US territories are not included. Rankings use competition ranking: tied values share a rank.

Frequently asked questions

How often is this updated?

BLS releases state unemployment rates monthly, roughly three weeks after the end of the reference month. We refresh this list after each release.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota, at 2.0% in September 2026.

Sources

Data retrieved October 28, 2026. Values are shown as published, rounded for display; derived percentages are computed by us from published counts as described above. Download the CSV. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Cite this page: SortedLists, “US States by Unemployment Rate”, https://sortedlists.com/states-by-unemployment-rate/ (accessed October 28, 2026). Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).