Unemployment rate by state
The national unemployment rate was 4.2% in September 2026. Across the states it runs from 2.0% in South Dakota to 5.6% in District of Columbia; 16 states are higher than a year ago and 30 lower.
4.2%United States, September 2026
-0.2 ptsUS, change in a year
2.0%lowest: South Dakota
5.6%highest: District of Columbia
16 / 30states up / down vs a year ago
United States, last three years
BLS household survey (LNS14000000), seasonally adjusted.
All states, lowest to highest September 2026
| # | State | Rate | vs last month | vs a year ago | 12-month range | Feb 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 2.0% | +0.0 | -0.1 | 2.0–2.3% | 2.5% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 2.2% | +0.0 | -0.4 | 2.2–2.6% | 2.2% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 2.6% | -0.2 | -0.6 | 2.6–3.2% | 2.6% |
| 4 | Vermont | 2.6% | +0.0 | +0.0 | 2.6–2.7% | 2.2% |
| 5 | Hawaii | 2.8% | +0.1 | +0.7 | 2.1–2.8% | 2.2% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 2.9% | +0.0 | +0.0 | 2.9–3.1% | 3.0% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 3.0% | +0.0 | -0.4 | 3.0–3.6% | 4.6% |
| 8 | Montana | 3.1% | -0.1 | -0.4 | 3.1–3.6% | 3.5% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3.2% | +0.0 | -0.2 | 3.2–3.4% | 2.7% |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 3.2% | +0.0 | +0.1 | 3.1–3.5% | 3.1% |
| 11 | Georgia | 3.3% | +0.1 | -0.1 | 3.2–3.6% | 3.6% |
| 12 | Maine | 3.3% | +0.1 | +0.0 | 3.1–3.3% | 3.2% |
| 13 | Mississippi | 3.3% | -0.1 | -0.4 | 3.3–3.8% | 5.7% |
| 14 | Indiana | 3.4% | +0.1 | -0.3 | 3.3–3.7% | 3.5% |
| 15 | North Carolina | 3.4% | -0.1 | -0.5 | 3.4–3.9% | 3.8% |
| 16 | Ohio | 3.4% | +0.1 | -0.9 | 3.3–4.4% | 4.5% |
| 17 | Tennessee | 3.4% | +0.0 | -0.1 | 3.4–3.6% | 3.5% |
| 18 | Alabama | 3.5% | +0.1 | +0.7 | 2.7–3.5% | 3.3% |
| 19 | Utah | 3.5% | +0.0 | -0.1 | 3.5–3.8% | 2.5% |
| 20 | Idaho | 3.6% | +0.0 | +0.0 | 3.6–3.7% | 2.8% |
| 21 | Missouri | 3.6% | +0.1 | -0.3 | 3.5–3.9% | 3.4% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | 3.6% | -0.1 | -0.8 | 3.6–4.4% | 4.6% |
| 23 | Rhode Island | 3.6% | -0.1 | -0.7 | 3.6–4.7% | 3.6% |
| 24 | Virginia | 3.6% | +0.0 | +0.2 | 3.4–3.8% | 2.9% |
| 25 | Kansas | 3.8% | +0.0 | +0.0 | 3.8–3.9% | 3.1% |
| 26 | Arkansas | 3.9% | +0.0 | -0.3 | 3.9–4.4% | 3.6% |
| 27 | Maryland | 3.9% | -0.2 | -0.4 | 3.9–4.4% | 3.4% |
| 28 | Louisiana | 4.0% | -0.2 | -0.2 | 4.0–4.5% | 4.7% |
| 29 | South Carolina | 4.0% | -0.1 | -0.7 | 4.0–5.0% | 2.9% |
| 30 | West Virginia | 4.0% | +0.0 | -0.5 | 4.0–4.7% | 5.3% |
| 31 | Colorado | 4.1% | +0.1 | +0.3 | 3.8–4.1% | 3.2% |
| 32 | New Jersey | 4.2% | -0.1 | -1.3 | 4.2–5.5% | 4.1% |
| 33 | Oklahoma | 4.2% | -0.1 | +0.6 | 3.6–4.3% | 3.2% |
| 34 | Alaska | 4.3% | +0.0 | -0.4 | 4.3–4.8% | 5.4% |
| 35 | Massachusetts | 4.3% | +0.0 | -0.3 | 4.3–4.8% | 3.1% |
| 36 | New York | 4.3% | +0.0 | -0.3 | 4.3–4.6% | 4.2% |
| 37 | Florida | 4.4% | -0.1 | +0.2 | 4.2–4.8% | 3.0% |
| 38 | Texas | 4.4% | +0.0 | +0.1 | 4.3–4.5% | 3.6% |
| 39 | Minnesota | 4.5% | +0.1 | +0.4 | 4.1–4.5% | 3.5% |
| 40 | Delaware | 4.6% | -0.1 | -0.6 | 4.6–5.4% | 3.6% |
| 41 | Illinois | 4.6% | -0.1 | +0.1 | 4.5–5.1% | 3.8% |
| 42 | Kentucky | 4.7% | +0.0 | +0.2 | 4.2–4.7% | 4.1% |
| 43 | Nevada | 4.7% | -0.1 | -0.5 | 4.7–5.3% | 4.4% |
| 44 | New Mexico | 4.7% | +0.0 | +0.5 | 4.2–4.9% | 5.3% |
| 45 | Washington | 4.8% | -0.1 | +0.1 | 4.7–5.2% | 3.8% |
| 46 | Arizona | 4.9% | +0.0 | +0.5 | 4.4–4.9% | 4.8% |
| 47 | Michigan | 5.0% | +0.0 | +0.1 | 4.9–5.1% | 3.8% |
| 48 | Oregon | 5.0% | -0.1 | -0.3 | 5.0–5.3% | 3.6% |
| 49 | California | 5.1% | +0.0 | -0.4 | 5.1–5.5% | 4.4% |
| 50 | Connecticut | 5.1% | +0.0 | +0.9 | 4.2–5.2% | 3.8% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 5.6% | -0.1 | -1.0 | 5.6–6.7% | 5.7% |
Seasonally adjusted; "vs" columns are percentage-point changes. Red means the rate rose. Sources: BLS state employment and unemployment release · LAUS data. State data for a month arrives about two weeks after the national jobs report.
What moves a state's rate
- Industry mix. Energy and farm states (the Dakotas, Nebraska) run lowest; states with big federal, hospitality or tech payrolls swing most.
- Participation. A rate can fall because people stop looking; check the national jobs report for participation and payroll growth.
- Wages follow it. Low-unemployment states are where minimum wages matter least and asking salaries rise fastest.
- Credit stress lags it. Rising state unemployment shows up a few quarters later in auto and card delinquency.