CensusEasy
CensusEasy
RANKING · 2024 ACS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Lowest unemployment, US states

US states ranked by the lowest unemployment rate (2024 ACS). North Dakota leads at 2.8%. 51 states qualify in total. The median across all 51 is 4.9%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Alabama, AL, up 15 places to #20.

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

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

North Dakota ranks #1 with 2.8% (2024 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by unemployment rate?

North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, New Hampshire.

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).