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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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020

USUnited States334,922,4995.2%–

01Nevada, NVNV3,184,6127.0%+6%

02California, CACA39,287,3776.6%+7%

03New York, NYNY19,852,3666.4%+12%

04District of Columbia, DCDC681,2946.3%−11%

05New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8096.3%+9%

06Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.3%−4%

07New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2466.0%−9%

08Alaska, AKAK735,7065.9%−19%

09Illinois, ILIL12,694,7985.8%−2%

10Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8015.8%+5%

11Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7795.8%−19%

12Michigan, MIMI10,077,7615.7%−5%

13Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5085.6%−7%

14West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3735.4%−17%

15Oregon, OROR4,254,2935.4%−2%

16Texas, TXTX30,188,4245.3%−1%

17Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6395.3%−2%

18Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0565.2%+1%

19Georgia, GAGA10,940,4075.1%−8%

20Delaware, DEDE1,021,1915.1%−12%

21Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8385.1%−13%

22Washington, WAWA7,816,1165.1%+4%

23Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6345.0%−2%

24Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3914.9%−5%

25Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2354.9%+8%

26Maryland, MDMD6,206,0114.9%−5%

27South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2254.9%−12%

28Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8244.9%−9%

29Florida, FLFL22,416,0774.8%−11%

30Ohio, OHOH11,810,2934.8%−10%

31North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4044.7%−13%

32Alabama, ALAL5,086,7684.7%−16%

33Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3834.7%−12%

34Colorado, COCO5,862,1894.6%−0%

35Indiana, ININ6,851,0734.3%−10%

36Virginia, VAVA8,705,1704.3%−8%

37Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4454.1%+7%

38Missouri, MOMO6,191,8144.0%−11%

39Kansas, KSKS2,947,1973.9%−4%

40Maine, MEME1,387,8173.8%−7%

41Idaho, IDID1,934,2623.7%−11%

42Wyoming, WYWY582,3973.7%−16%

43Montana, MTMT1,116,8753.6%−13%

44Iowa, IAIA3,210,5073.6%−9%

45Utah, UTUT3,392,3313.6%−2%

46Vermont, VTVT647,1063.6%−5%

47New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.3%−11%

48Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8723.2%−9%

49Nebraska, NENE1,978,7073.0%−11%

50South Dakota, SDSD907,4282.9%−16%

51North Dakota, NDND784,8412.8%−11%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · 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).