An official website of the United States government
In July 2019, unemployment rates in 14 states were significantly lower than the 3.7-percent rate for the United States as a whole, significantly higher in 8 states and the District of Columbia, and were not appreciably different from the national rate in 28 states.
State |
Significantly different from U.S. rate |
Unemployment rate, July 2019 |
---|---|---|
Vermont |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.1% |
North Dakota |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.4 |
Iowa |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.5 |
New Hampshire |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.5 |
Hawaii |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.8 |
Utah |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.8 |
Colorado |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.9 |
Idaho |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.9 |
Massachusetts |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.9 |
South Dakota |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.9 |
Virginia |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 2.9 |
Maine |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 3.0 |
Wisconsin |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 3.0 |
Nebraska |
Significantly lower than U.S. rate | 3.1 |
Oklahoma |
Not significantly different | 3.2 |
Alabama |
Not significantly different | 3.3 |
Delaware |
Not significantly different | 3.3 |
Florida |
Not significantly different | 3.3 |
Kansas |
Not significantly different | 3.3 |
Missouri |
Not significantly different | 3.3 |
New Jersey |
Not significantly different | 3.3 |
Arkansas |
Not significantly different | 3.4 |
Indiana |
Not significantly different | 3.4 |
Minnesota |
Not significantly different | 3.4 |
Montana |
Not significantly different | 3.4 |
South Carolina |
Not significantly different | 3.4 |
Texas |
Not significantly different | 3.4 |
Rhode Island |
Not significantly different | 3.5 |
Tennessee |
Not significantly different | 3.5 |
Connecticut |
Not significantly different | 3.6 |
Georgia |
Not significantly different | 3.6 |
Wyoming |
Not significantly different | 3.6 |
Maryland |
Not significantly different | 3.8 |
Pennsylvania |
Not significantly different | 3.9 |
New York |
Not significantly different | 4.0 |
Ohio |
Not significantly different | 4.0 |
Oregon |
Not significantly different | 4.0 |
California |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 4.1 |
Nevada |
Not significantly different | 4.1 |
Illinois |
Not significantly different | 4.2 |
North Carolina |
Not significantly different | 4.2 |
Kentucky |
Not significantly different | 4.3 |
Louisiana |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 4.3 |
Michigan |
Not significantly different | 4.3 |
Washington |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 4.6 |
West Virginia |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 4.7 |
Arizona |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 4.9 |
New Mexico |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 4.9 |
Mississippi |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 5.1 |
District of Columbia |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 5.6 |
Alaska |
Significantly higher than U.S. rate | 6.3 |
Note: Data for July 2019 are preliminary. |
Vermont had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent. North Dakota, Iowa, and New Hampshire also had unemployment rates of 2.5 percent or lower in July 2019.
The July 2019 rates in Alabama (3.3 percent), Arkansas (3.4 percent), Maine (3.0 percent), and New Jersey (3.3 percent) were all record lows. (All state unemployment data begin in 1976.)
Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.3 percent. Mississippi and the District of Columbia also had unemployment rates above 5.0 percent in July 2019.
These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "State Employment and Unemployment — July 2019." Also see more charts and maps on state employment and unemployment.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rate lowest in Vermont, highest in Alaska, July 2019 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2019/unemployment-rate-lowest-in-vermont-highest-in-alaska-july-2019.htm (visited December 08, 2024).