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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. The median across all 51 is 4.9%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Massachusetts, MA, up 13 places to #18.

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RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020
USUnited States334,922,4995.2%–
01▲4Nevada, NVNV3,184,6127.0%+0.4 pts
02▲6California, CACA39,287,3776.6%+0.4 pts
03▲12New York, NYNY19,852,3666.4%+0.7 pts
04▼1District of Columbia, DCDC681,2946.3%−0.8 pts
05▲9New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8096.3%+0.5 pts
06Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.3%−0.3 pts
07▼3New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2466.0%−0.6 pts
08▼7Alaska, AKAK735,7065.9%−1.3 pts
09▲2Illinois, ILIL12,694,7985.8%−0.1 pts
10▲9Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8015.8%+0.3 pts
11▼9Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7795.8%−1.4 pts
12▼2Michigan, MIMI10,077,7615.7%−0.3 pts
13▼4Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5085.6%−0.4 pts
14▼7West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3735.4%−1.1 pts
15▲5Oregon, OROR4,254,2935.4%−0.1 pts
16▲11Texas, TXTX30,188,4245.3%0.0 pts
17▲7Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6395.3%−0.1 pts
18▲13Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0565.2%+0.1 pts
19▼3Georgia, GAGA10,940,4075.1%−0.5 pts
20▼8Delaware, DEDE1,021,1915.1%−0.7 pts
21▼8Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8385.1%−0.7 pts
22▲10Washington, WAWA7,816,1165.1%+0.2 pts
23▲7Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6345.0%−0.1 pts
24▲4Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3914.9%−0.3 pts
25▲11Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2354.9%+0.4 pts
26▲3Maryland, MDMD6,206,0114.9%−0.3 pts
27▼9South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2254.9%−0.6 pts
28▼5Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8244.9%−0.5 pts
29▼7Florida, FLFL22,416,0774.8%−0.6 pts
30▼4Ohio, OHOH11,810,2934.8%−0.5 pts
31▼10North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4044.7%−0.7 pts
32▼15Alabama, ALAL5,086,7684.7%−0.9 pts
33▼8Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3834.7%−0.7 pts
34Colorado, COCO5,862,1894.6%0.0 pts
35▼2Indiana, ININ6,851,0734.3%−0.5 pts
36▼1Virginia, VAVA8,705,1704.3%−0.4 pts
37▲7Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4454.1%+0.3 pts
38▼1Missouri, MOMO6,191,8144.0%−0.5 pts
39▲2Kansas, KSKS2,947,1973.9%−0.2 pts
40▲2Maine, MEME1,387,8173.8%−0.3 pts
41▼2Idaho, IDID1,934,2623.7%−0.5 pts
42▼4Wyoming, WYWY582,3973.7%−0.7 pts
43▼3Montana, MTMT1,116,8753.6%−0.5 pts
44▼1Iowa, IAIA3,210,5073.6%−0.3 pts
45▲2Utah, UTUT3,392,3313.6%−0.1 pts
46▼1Vermont, VTVT647,1063.6%−0.2 pts
47▼1New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.3%−0.4 pts
48Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8723.2%−0.3 pts
49▲1Nebraska, NENE1,978,7073.0%−0.4 pts
50▼1South Dakota, SDSD907,4282.9%−0.6 pts
51North Dakota, NDND784,8412.8%−0.3 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · 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).