How America Moves

Unemployment rankings

U.S. states ranked by unemployment, 2025 data

StatesCounties

Top 25

Highest unemployment

  1. 1District of Columbia6.3%
  2. 2California5.5%
  3. 3Nevada5.3%
  4. 4Oregon5.2%
  5. 5Michigan5.2%
  6. 6New Jersey5.2%
  7. 7Delaware4.8%
  8. 8Washington4.7%
  9. 9Alaska4.7%
  10. 10Illinois4.6%
  11. 11Kentucky4.6%
  12. 12Ohio4.6%
  13. 13South Carolina4.5%
  14. 14Rhode Island4.5%
  15. 15Massachusetts4.5%
  16. 16New York4.3%
  17. 17Arizona4.3%
  18. 18Louisiana4.3%
  19. 19Pennsylvania4.3%
  20. 20West Virginia4.2%
  21. 21Texas4.2%
  22. 22New Mexico4.2%
  23. 23Arkansas4.1%
  24. 24Connecticut4.0%
  25. 25Colorado4.0%

Bottom 25

Lowest unemployment

  1. 1South Dakota2.1%
  2. 2Hawaii2.4%
  3. 3North Dakota2.6%
  4. 4Vermont2.7%
  5. 5Alabama2.9%
  6. 6Nebraska3.0%
  7. 7Wisconsin3.2%
  8. 8New Hampshire3.2%
  9. 9Montana3.3%
  10. 10Wyoming3.4%
  11. 11Oklahoma3.4%
  12. 12Virginia3.4%
  13. 13Maine3.4%
  14. 14Georgia3.4%
  15. 15Iowa3.5%
  16. 16Tennessee3.5%
  17. 17Utah3.6%
  18. 18Indiana3.7%
  19. 19Idaho3.7%
  20. 20Mississippi3.8%
  21. 21North Carolina3.8%
  22. 22Kansas3.8%
  23. 23Minnesota3.9%
  24. 24Florida3.9%
  25. 25Connecticut4.0%

Ranked by unemployment (percent of the labor force, annual average). Counties under 20,000 residents are excluded to limit small-sample noise. Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics. These figures cover all residents, not tax filers, and say nothing about why anyone moved. See also the migration rankings.