RANKING · 2024 ACS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most unemployed people, US states

US states with the most unemployed people in the civilian labor force, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the unemployment rate. California leads at 1,325,568. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 304,661, against an all-states median of 111,265.

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPUNEMPLOYED RESIDENTSVS 2020

USUnited States2.7% of US population334,922,4998,902,365–

01California, CACA39,287,3771,325,568+8%

02Texas, TXTX30,188,424802,438+7%

03New York, NYNY19,852,366648,175+14%

04Florida, FLFL22,416,077531,580−4%

05Illinois, ILIL12,694,798388,370−2%

06Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639351,289+0%

07New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,809315,874+16%

08Michigan, MIMI10,077,761286,296−4%

09Ohio, OHOH11,810,293285,380−9%

10Georgia, GAGA10,940,407282,204−3%

11North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404251,905−9%

12Washington, WAWA7,816,116204,777+9%

13Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056201,593+4%

14Virginia, VAVA8,705,170190,525−6%

15Arizona, AZAZ7,378,838183,239−8%

16Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383164,955−7%

17Maryland, MDMD6,206,011162,200−3%

18Colorado, COCO5,862,189149,719+5%

19Indiana, ININ6,851,073148,488−7%

20Louisiana, LALA4,611,961135,161−5%

21Minnesota, MNMN5,739,445126,788+8%

22Missouri, MOMO6,191,814125,358−10%

23South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225125,193−8%

24Oregon, OROR4,254,293117,000+1%

25Nevada, NVNV3,184,612112,440+12%

26Alabama, ALAL5,086,768111,265−11%

27Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508109,626−6%

28Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824104,742−8%

29Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872101,728−7%

30Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63495,693+0%

31Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77976,677−20%

32Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39169,655−3%

33Utah, UTUT3,392,33163,306+9%

34Iowa, IAIA3,210,50760,853−7%

35Kansas, KSKS2,947,19759,250−3%

36New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24658,172−7%

37West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37342,641−18%

38Idaho, IDID1,934,26235,649−1%

39Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23534,516+7%

40Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80134,430+10%

41Nebraska, NENE1,978,70732,072−9%

42Maine, MEME1,387,81727,132−5%

43Delaware, DEDE1,021,19126,301−7%

44New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86825,970−9%

45District of Columbia, DCDC681,29425,416−13%

46Alaska, AKAK735,70621,037−20%

47Montana, MTMT1,116,87520,602−9%

48South Dakota, SDSD907,42813,933−14%

49Vermont, VTVT647,10612,519−3%

50North Dakota, NDND784,84111,552−10%

51Wyoming, WYWY582,39711,113−16%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)

UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest unemployed residents?

California ranks #1 with 1,325,568 (2024 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by unemployed residents?

California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois.

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 unemployed residents measured?

Number of unemployed people in the civilian labor force 16 and over (ACS B23025). The raw-count companion to the unemployment rate. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024).