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.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYMENT RATEVS 2020

USUnited States334,922,4995.2%–

01North Dakota, NDND784,8412.8%−11%

02South Dakota, SDSD907,4282.9%−16%

03Nebraska, NENE1,978,7073.0%−11%

04Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8723.2%−9%

05New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.3%−11%

06Vermont, VTVT647,1063.6%−5%

07Utah, UTUT3,392,3313.6%−2%

08Iowa, IAIA3,210,5073.6%−9%

09Montana, MTMT1,116,8753.6%−13%

10Wyoming, WYWY582,3973.7%−16%

11Idaho, IDID1,934,2623.7%−11%

12Maine, MEME1,387,8173.8%−7%

13Kansas, KSKS2,947,1973.9%−4%

14Missouri, MOMO6,191,8144.0%−11%

15Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4454.1%+7%

16Virginia, VAVA8,705,1704.3%−8%

17Indiana, ININ6,851,0734.3%−10%

18Colorado, COCO5,862,1894.6%−0%

19Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3834.7%−12%

20Alabama, ALAL5,086,7684.7%−16%

21North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4044.7%−13%

22Ohio, OHOH11,810,2934.8%−10%

23Florida, FLFL22,416,0774.8%−11%

24Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8244.9%−9%

25South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2254.9%−12%

26Maryland, MDMD6,206,0114.9%−5%

27Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2354.9%+8%

28Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3914.9%−5%

29Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6345.0%−2%

30Washington, WAWA7,816,1165.1%+4%

31Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8385.1%−13%

32Delaware, DEDE1,021,1915.1%−12%

33Georgia, GAGA10,940,4075.1%−8%

34Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0565.2%+1%

35Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6395.3%−2%

36Texas, TXTX30,188,4245.3%−1%

37Oregon, OROR4,254,2935.4%−2%

38West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3735.4%−17%

39Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5085.6%−7%

40Michigan, MIMI10,077,7615.7%−5%

41Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7795.8%−19%

42Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8015.8%+5%

43Illinois, ILIL12,694,7985.8%−2%

44Alaska, AKAK735,7065.9%−19%

45New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2466.0%−9%

46Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.3%−4%

47New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8096.3%+9%

48District of Columbia, DCDC681,2946.3%−11%

49New York, NYNY19,852,3666.4%+12%

50California, CACA39,287,3776.6%+7%

51Nevada, NVNV3,184,6127.0%+6%

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 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).