State rankings

Unemployment Rate by State (BLS)

District of Columbia has the highest Unemployment Rate (%) in 2025 (6.3%), followed by California (5.5%) and Nevada (5.3%). South Dakota has the lowest (2.1%).

Economics51 states · 1 metricOriginal page
1 source
Unemployment Rate (%)Better directionWhether a higher or a lower value is better. A green arrow means higher is better, a red arrow means lower is better, and no arrow means neither.More in the glossary →
51 of 51 states
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Unemployment Rate (%), 2025

Green is better, red is worse (lower is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 51 ranked

Best first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
4%
Middle half 3.4% – 4.5%
Average
3.99%
51 states
Lowest (best)
2.1%
South Dakota
Highest (worst)
6.3%
District of Columbia

Over time · 2010–2025

The top 5 in 2025, against the median.

  • Median of all states
  • South Dakota
  • Hawaii
  • North Dakota
  • Vermont
  • Alabama

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

51 states · # = rank by Unemployment Rate (%)
#
1South Dakota2.1%
2Hawaii2.4%
3North Dakota2.6%
4Vermont2.7%
5Alabama2.9%
6Nebraska3%
7Wisconsin3.2%
7New Hampshire3.2%
9Montana3.3%
10Georgia3.4%
10Virginia3.4%
10Oklahoma3.4%
10Maine3.4%
10Wyoming3.4%
15Tennessee3.5%
15Iowa3.5%
17Utah3.6%
18Indiana3.7%
18Idaho3.7%
20North Carolina3.8%
20Kansas3.8%
20Mississippi3.8%
23Florida3.9%
23Minnesota3.9%
25Missouri4%
25Maryland4%
25Colorado4%
25Connecticut4%
29Arkansas4.1%
30Texas4.2%
30New Mexico4.2%
30West Virginia4.2%
33New York4.3%
33Pennsylvania4.3%
33Arizona4.3%
33Louisiana4.3%
37Massachusetts4.5%
37South Carolina4.5%
37Rhode Island4.5%
40Illinois4.6%
40Ohio4.6%
40Kentucky4.6%
43Washington4.7%
43Alaska4.7%
45Delaware4.8%
46Michigan5.2%
46New Jersey5.2%
46Oregon5.2%
49Nevada5.3%
50California5.5%
51District of Columbia6.3%

What correlates with Unemployment Rate (%) (2025)?

Pearson r against 2,099 other state metrics sharing at least 31 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Unemployment Rate (%) tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. Unemployment Rate JulyUnemployment Rate by State
    r = +0.87 · very strong · n = 51
    Plot
  2. U-6 Unemployment Rate Q2 2022U6 Employment Rate
    r = +0.74 · very strong · n = 51
    Plot
  3. U-6 Unemployment Rate Q3 2022U6 Employment Rate
    r = +0.71 · very strong · n = 51
    Plot
  4. Abortion Rate per 1k Women Aged 15-44Abortions Due to Rape by State
    r = +0.66 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  5. Veteran Unemployment RateVeterans Unemployment Benefits by State
    r = +0.66 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. DisabledSocial Security Disability Benefits by State
    r = +0.62 · strong · n = 51
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Unemployment Rate (%) tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. Employment RateEmployment Rate by State
    r = −0.78 · very strong · n = 51
    Plot
  2. % of Registered RepublicansRegistered Voters by Party
    r = −0.62 · strong · n = 31
    Plot
  3. % of Pop. with Associates DegreeMost Educated U.S. States
    r = −0.60 · strong · n = 51
    Plot
  4. % of Students at Basic Reading LevelU.S. Literacy Rates by State
    r = −0.59 · strong · n = 51
    Plot
  5. NCLEX Pass RateNCLEX Pass Rate by State
    r = −0.57 · strong · n = 51
    Plot
  6. OpportunityBest States to Live InA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.55 · strong · n = 49
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Unemployment Rate (%)?
District of Columbia has the highest Unemployment Rate (%) in 2025, at 6.3%, followed by California (5.5%) and Nevada (5.3%).
Which state has the lowest Unemployment Rate (%)?
South Dakota has the lowest Unemployment Rate (%) in 2025, at 2.1%.
What is the median Unemployment Rate (%) across US states?
The median is 4% across the 51 US states with data in 2025.
Where does this unemployment rate by state (bls) data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Local Area Unemployment Statistics - US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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