Unemployment Rates by State

Unemployment rates in the United States vary quite a bit by state. Below is a table with 2011 – 2024 unemployment rates of selected states. The table shows that in 2024 South Dakota (1.9%) had the lowest unemployment rate. The highest rates were in California (5.4%), the District of Columbia (5.7%), and Nevada (5.7%). From 2011 – 2019 most states experienced a decrease in unemployment. From 2018 to 2019, only four states experienced an increase in unemployment (Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, and Wyoming). Unemployment rates in most states increased in 2020 due to the pandemic and then recovered (decreased) in most states after 2021.

State/Region Unemployment Rate (2011, seasonally adjusted) Unemployment Rate (2012, seasonally adjusted) Unemployment Rate (2015, seasonally adjusted) Unemployment Rate (2019, seasonally adjusted) Unemployment Rate (2024, seasonally adjusted) 
United States 9.1 7.7 5.5 3.5 4.2
Alaska 7.4 6.8 6.7 6.1 4.6
California 11.7 9.8 6.3 3.9 5.4
Delaware 8.0 6.7 4.5 3.8 4.0
Florida 10.6 8.1 5.6 3.1 3.4
Hawaii 6.0 5.3 4.1 2.6 2.9
Iowa 6.0 4.9 3.8 2.6 3.1
Kansas 6.6 5.4 4.3 3.1 3.4
Maine 7.7 7.2 4.7 2.8 3.1
Maryland 6.8 6.6 5.3 3.6 3.1
Massachusetts 7.6 6.6 4.7 2.9 3.9
Michigan 10.3 8.9 5.4 4.0 4.7
Minnesota 6.6 5.7 3.7 3.3 3.4
Montana 7.3 5.8 4.0 3.4 3.2
Nebraska 4.1 3.7 2.5 3.1 2.8
Nevada 12.1 10.8 7.1 4.0 5.7
New Hampshire 6.9 5.6 3.8 2.6 2.5
New Mexico 4.0 6.2 6.2 4.8 4.1
New York 7.9 8.3 5.7 4.0 4.4
North Dakota 3.2 3.1 3.1 2.5 2.4
Oklahoma 5.3 5.2 4.1 3.4 3.3
Pennsylvania 7.4 7.8 5.3 4.3 4.0
Rhode Island 10.9 10.4 6.1 3.5 4.6
South Dakota 4.8 4.4 3.6 3.1 1.9
South Carolina 9.7 8.4 5.4 2.6 4.7
Texas 8.0 6.2 4.2 3.4 4.1
Utah 7.3 5.1 3.4 2.4 3.5
Vermont 5.4 5.2 3.6 2.3 2.4
Virginia 6.0 5.6 4.8 2.6 3.0
Wisconsin 7.4 6.7 4.4 3.3 2.9
Wyoming 6.0 5.1 4.1 3.7 3.3
District of Columbia 10.5 8.9 7.5 5.3 5.7

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 (www.bls.gov)

Unemployment Rates by Group

Unemployment rates in the United States vary significantly by group. Below is a table with 2008, 2012, 2016. 2020, 2022, and 2024 unemployment rates by selected demographic groups. The table shows that residents of Asian descent have the lowest unemployment rate, and Black or of African American descent, the highest. Among all groups, teenagers have the highest unemployment rates. Even though after 2014 rates have decreased for most demographic groups and the biggest unemployment decline has been amongst black or African Americans, a particular concern is the still high teenage unemployment rate among Black or African American descent residents. Regarding education levels, it is clear that the likelihood for unemployment decreases amongst people with more advanced degrees.

Demographic Group Unemployment Rate (Percentage), 2008 Unemployment Rate (Percentage), 2012 Unemployment Rate (Percentage), 2016 Unemployment Rate (Percentage), 2020 Unemployment Rate (Percentage), 2022 Unemployment Rate (Percentage), 2024
Total United States 5.0 7.7 4.9 8.1 3.7 4.2
All Women and Men 16 – 19 Years of Age 19.2 24.4 15.7 17.9 11.3 13.9
All Women 16 – 19 Years of Age – – 14.3 17.5 10,0 13.8
All Men 16 – 19 Years of Age – – 17.1 18.4 12.6 14
Men, 25 – 54 Years 5.1 8.2 4.0 6.8 3.2 3.2
Women, 25 – 54 Years 4.7 7.6 4.3 7.3 3.3 3.4
Black or African American, 16 years and Older 9.5 15.8 8.4 11.4 9.4 6.2
Black or African American, 16 – 19 years of Age – 41.3 26.7 24.1 17.7 17.1
Caucasian or White, 16 Years and Older 5.0 7.9 4.3 7.3 3.2 3.8
Hispanic or Latino, 16 Years and Older 7.7 11.5 5.9 11.6 4.1 5.3
Asian, 16 Years and Older NA 7.0 3.6 8.7 2.7 4.1
Less than a High School Diploma, 25 Years and Older 8.8 14.1 7.4 5.7 (2018) 8.3 5.6
High School Graduates, 25 Years and Older 5.2 9.4 5.2 3.9 (2018) 8.3 4.3
Associates Degree, 25 Years and Older 4.3 6.8 3.6 3.5 (2018) 4.6 3.1
Bachelor’s Degree and higher, 25 Years and Older 2.4 4.3 2.7 2.1 (2018) 3.5 2.1

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. For more information, visit http://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm