Introduction
A higher rate of unemployment, which refers to the percentage of individuals who make up the labor force who are currently unemployed, can have negative ripple effects on the economy — like for example, those unemployed being able to spend less money in general, or may also be more reliant on social benefit programs such as food stamps and unemployment benefits. As such, reducing unemployment is a key policy goal for all 50 states, especially in the challenging times we now face.
Congress has been prompt to react whenever the unemployment rate hikes to a record level. When the Great Recession triggered the rate to rise to nearly 10%, federal lawmakers in 2009 passed an act that provided financial aid packages to those unemployed and faltering businesses and created tens of thousands of jobs by investing in infrastructures. Then in 2021, a similar act was implemented to accelerate the process of recovery from a year-long economic downturn stemmed by the COVID-19 pandemic — which had once caused the unemployment rate to hit the highest level since the Great Depression.
Surprisingly, a 2022 Gallup poll shows that a majority of Americans aren’t worried about not finding a quality job if they were to be laid-off from their current jobs, showing that despite the uncertain times that Covid has created, the feeling of job security remains quite high.
Learn for yourself how states compare to one another in terms of their unemployment rate by surveying the data in the charts.
| # | State | Unemployment Rate | Unemployment Benefits | Unemployed Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 1.9% | $432 | 58,258 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 2% | $294 | 15,542 |
| 3 | Utah | 2% | $432 | 35,505 |
| 4 | Nebraska | 2.1% | $353 | 22,363 |
| 5 | Vermont | 2.1% | $388 | 6,995 |
| 6 | North Dakota | 2.3% | $462 | 9,277 |
| 7 | South Dakota | 2.3% | $359 | 11,000 |
| 8 | Kansas | 2.5% | $416 | 38,170 |
| 9 | Missouri | 2.5% | $263 | 76,156 |
| 10 | Alabama | 2.6% | $259 | 58,913 |
| 11 | Iowa | 2.6% | $424 | 44,698 |
| 12 | Virginia | 2.6% | $295 | 114,105 |
| 13 | Florida | 2.7% | $240 | 292,609 |
| 14 | Idaho | 2.7% | $356 | 25,697 |
| 15 | Georgia | 2.8% | $289 | 149,654 |
| 16 | Indiana | 2.8% | $256 | 95,218 |
| 17 | Montana | 2.8% | $465 | 15,868 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 2.8% | $389 | 16,348 |
| 19 | Maine | 3.1% | $346 | 21,092 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 3.1% | $331 | 57,484 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 3.1% | $248 | 74,521 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | 3.1% | $305 | 96,262 |
| 23 | Wyoming | 3.1% | $420 | 9,071 |
| 24 | Arkansas | 3.4% | $247 | 45,636 |
| 25 | Colorado | 3.4% | $387 | 111,878 |
| 26 | Tennessee | 3.4% | $224 | 114,679 |
| 27 | Arizona | 3.5% | $237 | 125,050 |
| 28 | Louisiana | 3.5% | $186 | 73,895 |
| 29 | North Carolina | 3.5% | $257 | 179,521 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | 3.6% | $512 | 134,742 |
| 31 | Mississippi | 3.6% | $200 | 45,237 |
| 32 | Oregon | 3.7% | $391 | 81,977 |
| 33 | Washington | 3.7% | $491 | 149,242 |
| 34 | Kentucky | 3.8% | $366 | 78,292 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 3.9% | $277 | 30,979 |
| 36 | Hawaii | 4% | $483 | 27,354 |
| 37 | New Jersey | 4% | $476 | 188,221 |
| 38 | Ohio | 4% | $382 | 228,949 |
| 39 | California | 4.1% | $315 | 783,822 |
| 40 | Connecticut | 4.1% | $367 | 77,702 |
| 41 | Texas | 4.1% | $415 | 594,584 |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | 4.2% | $393 | 272,464 |
| 43 | Maryland | 4.3% | $334 | 138,107 |
| 44 | Michigan | 4.3% | $339 | 200,680 |
| 45 | Nevada | 4.4% | $372 | 66,464 |
| 46 | New Mexico | 4.4% | $340 | 41,821 |
| 47 | Delaware | 4.5% | $288 | 22,331 |
| 48 | Illinois | 4.5% | $363 | 290,027 |
| 49 | Alaska | 4.6% | $276 | 16,661 |
| 50 | New York | 4.7% | $373 | 445,097 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 5.1% | 19,816 |
Unemployment Rate by State
Alabama
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Ranked in the US
#10
Ranked in the US
#41
Unemployed Population
58,913
Ranked in the US
#29
Alaska
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Ranked in the US
#49
Ranked in the US
#39
Unemployed Population
16,661
Ranked in the US
#45
Arizona
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Ranked in the US
#27
Ranked in the US
#47
Unemployed Population
125,050
Ranked in the US
#15
Arkansas
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Ranked in the US
#24
Ranked in the US
#45
Unemployed Population
45,636
Ranked in the US
#32
California
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Ranked in the US
#39
Ranked in the US
#32
Unemployed Population
783,822
Ranked in the US
#1
Colorado
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Ranked in the US
#25
Ranked in the US
#17
Unemployed Population
111,878
Ranked in the US
#18
Connecticut
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Ranked in the US
#40
Ranked in the US
#21
Unemployed Population
77,702
Ranked in the US
#23
Delaware
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Ranked in the US
#47
Ranked in the US
#37
Unemployed Population
22,331
Ranked in the US
#42
District of Columbia
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Ranked in the US
#51
Unemployed Population
19,816
Ranked in the US
#44
Florida
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Ranked in the US
#13
Ranked in the US
#46
Unemployed Population
292,609
Ranked in the US
#4
Georgia
Unemployment Rate
2.8%
Ranked in the US
#15
Ranked in the US
#36
Unemployed Population
149,654
Ranked in the US
#11
Hawaii
Unemployment Rate
4%
Ranked in the US
#36
Ranked in the US
#3
Unemployed Population
27,354
Ranked in the US
#39
Idaho
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Ranked in the US
#14
Ranked in the US
#25
Unemployed Population
25,697
Ranked in the US
#40
Illinois
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Ranked in the US
#48
Ranked in the US
#23
Unemployed Population
290,027
Ranked in the US
#5
Indiana
Unemployment Rate
2.8%
Ranked in the US
#16
Ranked in the US
#43
Unemployed Population
95,218
Ranked in the US
#20
Iowa
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Ranked in the US
#11
Ranked in the US
#9
Unemployed Population
44,698
Ranked in the US
#34
Kansas
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Ranked in the US
#8
Ranked in the US
#11
Unemployed Population
38,170
Ranked in the US
#36
Kentucky
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Ranked in the US
#34
Ranked in the US
#22
Unemployed Population
78,292
Ranked in the US
#22
Louisiana
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Ranked in the US
#28
Ranked in the US
#50
Unemployed Population
73,895
Ranked in the US
#26
Maine
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Ranked in the US
#19
Ranked in the US
#27
Unemployed Population
21,092
Ranked in the US
#43
Maryland
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Ranked in the US
#43
Ranked in the US
#30
Unemployed Population
138,107
Ranked in the US
#13
Massachusetts
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Ranked in the US
#30
Ranked in the US
#1
Unemployed Population
134,742
Ranked in the US
#14
Michigan
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Ranked in the US
#44
Ranked in the US
#29
Unemployed Population
200,680
Ranked in the US
#8
Minnesota
Unemployment Rate
1.9%
Ranked in the US
#1
Ranked in the US
#7
Unemployed Population
58,258
Ranked in the US
#30
Mississippi
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Ranked in the US
#31
Ranked in the US
#49
Unemployed Population
45,237
Ranked in the US
#33
Missouri
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Ranked in the US
#9
Ranked in the US
#40
Unemployed Population
76,156
Ranked in the US
#24
Montana
Unemployment Rate
2.8%
Ranked in the US
#17
Ranked in the US
#5
Unemployed Population
15,868
Ranked in the US
#47
Nebraska
Unemployment Rate
2.1%
Ranked in the US
#4
Ranked in the US
#26
Unemployed Population
22,363
Ranked in the US
#41
Nevada
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Ranked in the US
#45
Ranked in the US
#20
Unemployed Population
66,464
Ranked in the US
#28
New Hampshire
Unemployment Rate
2%
Ranked in the US
#2
Ranked in the US
#35
Unemployed Population
15,542
Ranked in the US
#48
New Jersey
Unemployment Rate
4%
Ranked in the US
#37
Ranked in the US
#4
Unemployed Population
188,221
Ranked in the US
#9
New Mexico
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Ranked in the US
#46
Ranked in the US
#28
Unemployed Population
41,821
Ranked in the US
#35
New York
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Ranked in the US
#50
Ranked in the US
#19
Unemployed Population
445,097
Ranked in the US
#3
North Carolina
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Ranked in the US
#29
Ranked in the US
#42
Unemployed Population
179,521
Ranked in the US
#10
North Dakota
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
Ranked in the US
#6
Ranked in the US
#6
Unemployed Population
9,277
Ranked in the US
#50
Ohio
Unemployment Rate
4%
Ranked in the US
#38
Ranked in the US
#18
Unemployed Population
228,949
Ranked in the US
#7
Oklahoma
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Ranked in the US
#20
Ranked in the US
#31
Unemployed Population
57,484
Ranked in the US
#31
Oregon
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Ranked in the US
#32
Ranked in the US
#14
Unemployed Population
81,977
Ranked in the US
#21
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Ranked in the US
#42
Ranked in the US
#13
Unemployed Population
272,464
Ranked in the US
#6
Rhode Island
Unemployment Rate
2.8%
Ranked in the US
#18
Ranked in the US
#15
Unemployed Population
16,348
Ranked in the US
#46
South Carolina
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Ranked in the US
#21
Ranked in the US
#44
Unemployed Population
74,521
Ranked in the US
#25
South Dakota
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
Ranked in the US
#7
Ranked in the US
#24
Unemployed Population
11,000
Ranked in the US
#49
Tennessee
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Ranked in the US
#26
Ranked in the US
#48
Unemployed Population
114,679
Ranked in the US
#16
Texas
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Ranked in the US
#41
Ranked in the US
#12
Unemployed Population
594,584
Ranked in the US
#2
Utah
Unemployment Rate
2%
Ranked in the US
#3
Ranked in the US
#8
Unemployed Population
35,505
Ranked in the US
#37
Vermont
Unemployment Rate
2.1%
Ranked in the US
#5
Ranked in the US
#16
Unemployed Population
6,995
Ranked in the US
#52
Virginia
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Ranked in the US
#12
Ranked in the US
#34
Unemployed Population
114,105
Ranked in the US
#17
Washington
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Ranked in the US
#33
Ranked in the US
#2
Unemployed Population
149,242
Ranked in the US
#12
West Virginia
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Ranked in the US
#35
Ranked in the US
#38
Unemployed Population
30,979
Ranked in the US
#38
Wisconsin
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Ranked in the US
#22
Ranked in the US
#33
Unemployed Population
96,262
Ranked in the US
#19
Wyoming
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Ranked in the US
#23
Ranked in the US
#10
Unemployed Population
9,071
Ranked in the US
#51
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