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RANKING · 2024 ACS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest unemployment, US states

US states ranked by the highest unemployment rate (2024 ACS). Nevada leads at 7.0%. 51 states qualify in total.

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RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020
USUnited States334,922,4995.2%–
01Nevada, NVNV3,184,6127.0%+0.4 pts
02California, CACA39,287,3776.6%+0.4 pts
03New York, NYNY19,852,3666.4%+0.7 pts
04District of Columbia, DCDC681,2946.3%−0.8 pts
05New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8096.3%+0.5 pts
06Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.3%−0.3 pts
07New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2466.0%−0.6 pts
08Alaska, AKAK735,7065.9%−1.3 pts
09Illinois, ILIL12,694,7985.8%−0.1 pts
10Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8015.8%+0.3 pts
11Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7795.8%−1.4 pts
12Michigan, MIMI10,077,7615.7%−0.3 pts
13Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5085.6%−0.4 pts
14West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3735.4%−1.1 pts
15Oregon, OROR4,254,2935.4%−0.1 pts
16Texas, TXTX30,188,4245.3%−0.0 pts
17Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6395.3%−0.1 pts
18Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0565.2%+0.1 pts
19Georgia, GAGA10,940,4075.1%−0.5 pts
20Delaware, DEDE1,021,1915.1%−0.7 pts
21Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8385.1%−0.7 pts
22Washington, WAWA7,816,1165.1%+0.2 pts
23Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6345.0%−0.1 pts
24Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3914.9%−0.3 pts
25Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2354.9%+0.4 pts
26Maryland, MDMD6,206,0114.9%−0.3 pts
27South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2254.9%−0.6 pts
28Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8244.9%−0.5 pts
29Florida, FLFL22,416,0774.8%−0.6 pts
30Ohio, OHOH11,810,2934.8%−0.5 pts
31North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4044.7%−0.7 pts
32Alabama, ALAL5,086,7684.7%−0.9 pts
33Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3834.7%−0.7 pts
34Colorado, COCO5,862,1894.6%−0.0 pts
35Indiana, ININ6,851,0734.3%−0.5 pts
36Virginia, VAVA8,705,1704.3%−0.4 pts
37Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4454.1%+0.3 pts
38Missouri, MOMO6,191,8144.0%−0.5 pts
39Kansas, KSKS2,947,1973.9%−0.2 pts
40Maine, MEME1,387,8173.8%−0.3 pts
41Idaho, IDID1,934,2623.7%−0.5 pts
42Wyoming, WYWY582,3973.7%−0.7 pts
43Montana, MTMT1,116,8753.6%−0.5 pts
44Iowa, IAIA3,210,5073.6%−0.3 pts
45Utah, UTUT3,392,3313.6%−0.1 pts
46Vermont, VTVT647,1063.6%−0.2 pts
47New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.3%−0.4 pts
48Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8723.2%−0.3 pts
49Nebraska, NENE1,978,7073.0%−0.4 pts
50South Dakota, SDSD907,4282.9%−0.6 pts
51North Dakota, NDND784,8412.8%−0.3 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest unemployment rate?

Nevada ranks #1 with 7.0% (2024 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by unemployment rate?

Nevada, California, New York, District of Columbia, New Jersey.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2024 ACS 5-year data.

How is unemployment rate measured?

Share of the labor force that is unemployed. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024).