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US Unemployment Rate by State

Seasonally adjusted Local Area Unemployment Statistics published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for all 50 states, Washington D.C., four regions and nine Census divisions cover the unemployment rate, the labour force broken down into employment and unemployment, and the labour force participation rate.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) — Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)Last updated: Sep 22, 2026, 21:48Curated by Bui Thanh PhucAbout this data ↓

Indicator08-202607-202606-202605-202604-202603-202602-202601-202612-202511-202510-202509-202508-202507-202506-202505-202504-202503-202502-202501-202512-202411-202410-202409-202408-202407-202406-202405-202404-202403-202402-202401-202412-202311-202310-202309-202308-2023
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (%)5
Northeast region24.14.24.44.44.54.54.54.54.64.64.64.54.54.44.34.34.24.24.24.14.14.14.144443.93.93.93.93.93.93.93.83.7
Midwest region23.93.944.14.14.24.24.14.14.14444.14.14.24.24.24.24.24.24.24.14.14.14.143.93.83.73.73.73.63.63.63.5
South region34.14.14.24.24.24.14.24.14.14.143.93.93.83.83.83.83.83.83.73.73.83.83.73.73.73.63.63.53.53.53.43.43.43.43.3
West region24.84.84.94.94.94.94.94.94.94.94.94.94.94.94.84.84.84.84.84.84.74.84.84.74.74.74.64.64.54.54.54.54.54.44.34.2
Puerto Rico6.165.85.65.65.65.65.75.75.75.75.75.75.65.65.55.55.45.55.45.45.45.45.45.55.65.75.85.95.95.95.85.75.65.65.75.8
LABOUR FORCE, EMPLOYMENT, AND UNEMPLOYMENT5
Northeast Region2
Midwest Region2
South Region3
West Region2
Puerto Rico — labour force21,254.171,245.321,235.961,232.431,234.211,234.551,234.461,233.781,232.891,232.681,232.381,232.321,232.681,233.141,233.231,232.661,231.591,2311,231.571,232.771,233.621,233.411,231.151,226.731,220.971,215.431,211.911,211.061,212.591,215.651,219.581,223.141,225.41,225.231,221.141,212.891,201.83
LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE (%)4
Northeast Region2
Midwest Region2
South Region3
West Region2
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE COVERED EMPLOYMENT (QCEW)2
Total covered employment, United States6154,771,941154,387,351154,172,010156,855,311157,114,057156,979,833155,918,238155,638,759154,734,521156,583,988156,713,225155,712,343154,686,369154,221,484153,630,223156,401,043156,767,859156,237,285155,644,433155,024,366154,052,187156,008,285155,705,837154,672,294153,848,430153,129,544152,393,725155,014,465155,078,016154,639,118154,059,660153,202,412
Private sector employment, United States6132,003,896131,655,477131,605,010134,014,555134,162,708134,110,083133,183,841134,052,638134,005,998133,973,817133,662,024132,739,517131,752,512131,330,966130,934,628133,504,547133,725,839133,332,489132,998,720133,542,201133,443,786133,589,093132,878,874131,971,436131,177,088130,575,107130,098,074132,521,134132,543,494132,227,123131,898,455132,310,274

Latest reading

South region stood at 4.1% in Aug 2026. That is unchanged from Jul 2026 and +0.2 pp from a year earlier. The series on this page is monthly and runs from Jan 1976 to Aug 2026. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) — Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).

Latest
4.1%
Aug 2026
vs previous period
0.0 pp
Jul 2026
vs a year earlier
+0.2 pp

About this data

Seasonally adjusted Local Area Unemployment Statistics published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for all 50 states, Washington D.C., four regions and nine Census divisions cover the unemployment rate, the labour force broken down into employment and unemployment, and the labour force participation rate. The final block covers insured employment from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages—a census of all unemployment insurance-covered establishments rather than the sample-based LAUS, serving as the definitive benchmark for state-level employment figures.

Ranking by state — Aug 2026

All 50 states ranked by the latest reading, Aug 2026. Highest first.

  1. 1Connecticut5.1%
  2. 2California5.1%
  3. 3Oregon5.1%
  4. 4Michigan5%
  5. 5Arizona4.9%
  6. 6Washington4.9%
  7. 7Nevada4.8%
  8. 8Illinois4.7%
  9. 9Delaware4.7%
  10. 10Kentucky4.7%
  11. 11New Mexico4.7%
  12. 12Florida4.5%
  13. 13Minnesota4.4%
  14. 14Texas4.4%
  15. 15Massachusetts4.3%
  16. 16New Jersey4.3%
  17. 17New York4.3%
  18. 18Oklahoma4.3%
  19. 19Alaska4.3%
  20. 20Louisiana4.2%
  21. 21Maryland4.1%
  22. 22South Carolina4.1%
  23. 23West Virginia4%
  24. 24Colorado4%
  25. 25Arkansas3.9%
  26. 26Kansas3.8%
  27. 27Rhode Island3.7%
  28. 28Pennsylvania3.7%
  29. 29Virginia3.6%
  30. 30Idaho3.6%
  31. 31Missouri3.5%
  32. 32North Carolina3.5%
  33. 33Utah3.5%
  34. 34Alabama3.4%
  35. 35Mississippi3.4%
  36. 36Tennessee3.4%
  37. 37Indiana3.3%
  38. 38Ohio3.3%
  39. 39Maine3.2%
  40. 40Wisconsin3.2%
  41. 41Iowa3.2%
  42. 42Georgia3.2%
  43. 43Montana3.2%
  44. 44Wyoming3%
  45. 45Nebraska2.9%
  46. 46New Hampshire2.8%
  47. 47Hawaii2.7%
  48. 48Vermont2.6%
  49. 49North Dakota2.2%
  50. 50South Dakota2%

Frequently asked questions

What does the US Unemployment Rate and Labour Force by State measure?
It measures the monthly unemployment rate, labour force participation rate, and employment totals for each United States state, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and broad Census regions.
How often is this state labour market data published?
The data is published monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics under the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program, with time series extending back to 1976.
Are the state unemployment figures seasonally adjusted?
Yes, the regional and state-level unemployment rates and labour force metrics are provided on a seasonally adjusted basis to account for predictable calendar-related variations.
How are these state estimates generated?
Estimates are generated through models combining household survey data, unemployment insurance claims, and payroll employment figures, ensuring consistency with nationwide totals.
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