RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Lowest unemployment, US states · 2020

US states ranked by the lowest unemployment rate (2020 ACS). North Dakota leads at 3.1%. 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%–

01North Dakota, NDND784,8413.1%–

02Nebraska, NENE1,978,7073.4%–

03South Dakota, SDSD907,4283.5%–

04Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8723.6%–

05Utah, UTUT3,392,3313.6%–

06New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.8%–

07Vermont, VTVT647,1063.8%–

08Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4453.8%–

09Iowa, IAIA3,210,5073.9%–

10Maine, MEME1,387,8174.0%–

11Kansas, KSKS2,947,1974.1%–

12Montana, MTMT1,116,8754.2%–

13Idaho, IDID1,934,2624.2%–

14Wyoming, WYWY582,3974.4%–

15Missouri, MOMO6,191,8144.5%–

16Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2354.6%–

17Virginia, VAVA8,705,1704.6%–

18Colorado, COCO5,862,1894.6%–

19Indiana, ININ6,851,0734.7%–

20Washington, WAWA7,816,1164.9%–

21Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0565.1%–

22Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6345.1%–

23Maryland, MDMD6,206,0115.2%–

24Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3915.2%–

25Texas, TXTX30,188,4245.3%–

26Ohio, OHOH11,810,2935.3%–

27Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3835.3%–

28Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6395.4%–

29Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8245.4%–

30Florida, FLFL22,416,0775.4%–

31North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4045.4%–

32Oregon, OROR4,254,2935.5%–

33Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8015.5%–

34South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2255.5%–

35Alabama, ALAL5,086,7685.6%–

36Georgia, GAGA10,940,4075.6%–

37New York, NYNY19,852,3665.7%–

38New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8095.8%–

39Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8385.8%–

40Delaware, DEDE1,021,1915.8%–

41Illinois, ILIL12,694,7986.0%–

42Michigan, MIMI10,077,7616.0%–

43Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5086.0%–

44California, CACA39,287,3776.2%–

45West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3736.5%–

46Louisiana, LALA4,611,9616.6%–

47Nevada, NVNV3,184,6126.6%–

48New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2466.6%–

49District of Columbia, DCDC681,2947.1%–

50Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7797.1%–

51Alaska, AKAK735,7067.2%–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

North Dakota ranks #1 with 3.1% (2020 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by unemployment rate?

North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Utah.

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.