RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest unemployment, US states · 2020

US states ranked by the highest unemployment rate (2020 ACS). Alaska leads at 7.2%. 51 states qualify in total.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS –

USUnited States331,449,2815.4%–

01Alaska, AKAK735,7067.2%–

02Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7797.1%–

03District of Columbia, DCDC681,2947.1%–

04New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2466.6%–

05Nevada, NVNV3,184,6126.6%–

06Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.6%–

07West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3736.5%–

08California, CACA39,287,3776.2%–

09Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5086.0%–

10Michigan, MIMI10,077,7616.0%–

11Illinois, ILIL12,694,7986.0%–

12Delaware, DEDE1,021,1915.8%–

13Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8385.8%–

14New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8095.8%–

15New York, NYNY19,852,3665.7%–

16Georgia, GAGA10,940,4075.6%–

17Alabama, ALAL5,086,7685.6%–

18South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2255.5%–

19Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8015.5%–

20Oregon, OROR4,254,2935.5%–

21North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4045.4%–

22Florida, FLFL22,416,0775.4%–

23Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8245.4%–

24Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6395.4%–

25Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3835.3%–

26Ohio, OHOH11,810,2935.3%–

27Texas, TXTX30,188,4245.3%–

28Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3915.2%–

29Maryland, MDMD6,206,0115.2%–

30Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6345.1%–

31Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0565.1%–

32Washington, WAWA7,816,1164.9%–

33Indiana, ININ6,851,0734.7%–

34Colorado, COCO5,862,1894.6%–

35Virginia, VAVA8,705,1704.6%–

36Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2354.6%–

37Missouri, MOMO6,191,8144.5%–

38Wyoming, WYWY582,3974.4%–

39Idaho, IDID1,934,2624.2%–

40Montana, MTMT1,116,8754.2%–

41Kansas, KSKS2,947,1974.1%–

42Maine, MEME1,387,8174.0%–

43Iowa, IAIA3,210,5073.9%–

44Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4453.8%–

45Vermont, VTVT647,1063.8%–

46New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.8%–

47Utah, UTUT3,392,3313.6%–

48Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8723.6%–

49South Dakota, SDSD907,4283.5%–

50Nebraska, NENE1,978,7073.4%–

51North Dakota, NDND784,8413.1%–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest unemployment rate?

Alaska ranks #1 with 7.2% (2020 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by unemployment rate?

Alaska, Mississippi, District of Columbia, New Mexico, Nevada.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 Decennial Census data.

How is unemployment rate measured?

Share of the labor force that is unemployed. Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.