Unemployment rates in 15 states were lower than the 3.5-percent U.S. rate in December 2019

In December 2019, 15 states had unemployment rates that were significantly lower than the U.S. rate of 3.5 percent, 12 states and the District of Columbia had higher jobless rates, and 23 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

South Carolina, Utah, and Vermont had the lowest unemployment rates in December, 2.3 percent each. Unemployment rates in North Dakota, Colorado, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Virginia, Alabama and Iowa were at or below 2.7 percent.

The unemployment rates in Colorado (2.5 percent), Florida (3.0 percent), Georgia (3.2 percent), Illinois (3.7 percent), Oregon (3.7 percent), South Carolina (2.3 percent), Utah (2.3 percent), and Washington (4.3 percent) were all at the lowest levels ever recorded. (All state unemployment data begin in 1976.)

Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.1 percent. West Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Mississippi each had unemployment rates of 5.0 percent or higher in December 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 — December 2019." Also see more charts and maps on state employment and unemployment data.