Nebraska had highest employment–population ratio in 2021 at 67.7 percent

Nebraska had the highest employment–population ratio in 2021, at 67.7 percent, followed by South Dakota (66.4 percent). West Virginia (51.9 percent) had the lowest employment–population ratio, followed by Mississippi (52.0 percent). From 2020 to 2021, the largest employment–population ratio increases among the states occurred in Hawaii (+4.5 percentage points) and Nevada (+3.1 points).

In 2021, Virginia (60.4 percent) and Wyoming (61.2 percent) had the lowest employment–population ratios since data were first collected in 1976. Overall, 22 states and the District of Columbia had employment–population ratios higher than the U.S. ratio of 58.4 percent, 15 states had lower ratios, and 13 states had ratios that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

In addition to Hawaii and Nevada, 36 states and the District of Columbia also had increases in their employment–population ratios. Vermont had the only significant over-the-year decrease in its employment–population ratio (−1.4 percentage points). The remaining 11 states had ratios that were not notably different from those of the previous year, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. To learn more, see “Regional and State Unemployment – 2021 Annual Averages.” The employment–population ratio is the proportion of the civilian population age 16 years and older who are employed.