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Employment–population ratios decreased in all 50 states and the District in 2020
March 05, 2021
In 2020, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had over-the-year decreases in their employment–population ratios. The largest of these declines occurred in Nevada (−8.1 percentage points), Hawaii (−7.1 points), and Massachusetts (−6.1 points). Three additional states recorded ratio decreases of at least 5.0 percentage points. The smallest over-the-year decrease occurred in Nebraska (−1.5 percentage points).
Employment–population ratios of people 16 years and older by state, 2020
State
2020
2019
Over-the-year change
Total employment, 2020
United States
56.8%
60.8%
-4.0 percentage point(s)
147,795,000
Nebraska
66.7
68.2
-1.5
991,000
North Dakota
66.0
68.5
-2.5
386,000
Minnesota
65.3
67.7
-2.4
2,904,000
South Dakota
65.0
66.7
-1.7
442,000
Utah
64.8
66.8
-2.0
1,556,000
District of Columbia
64.6
67.6
-3.0
377,000
Iowa
63.7
68.2
-4.5
1,579,000
Kansas
63.1
64.9
-1.8
1,409,000
New Hampshire
62.9
67.1
-4.2
711,000
Colorado
62.8
66.9
-4.1
2,895,000
Maryland
62.0
66.2
-4.2
2,958,000
Wisconsin
61.7
64.6
-2.9
2,873,000
Wyoming
61.5
63.2
-1.7
279,000
Virginia
60.6
64.5
-3.9
4,075,000
Vermont
60.1
64.9
-4.8
312,000
Idaho
60.0
62.4
-2.4
844,000
Connecticut
59.8
64.1
-4.3
1,725,000
Missouri
59.3
61.9
-2.6
2,867,000
Massachusetts
59.0
65.1
-6.1
3,334,000
Montana
59.0
60.8
-1.8
508,000
Washington
58.8
62.2
-3.4
3,586,000
Alaska
58.7
61.3
-2.6
320,000
Indiana
58.5
62.4
-3.9
3,083,000
Texas
57.9
61.7
-3.8
12,915,000
New Jersey
57.3
61.7
-4.4
4,055,000
Maine
57.2
60.9
-3.7
640,000
Georgia
57.1
60.5
-3.4
4,741,000
Ohio
57.1
60.6
-3.5
5,285,000
Illinois
56.8
61.9
-5.1
5,658,000
Oklahoma
56.8
59.0
-2.2
1,735,000
Rhode Island
56.8
62.4
-5.6
491,000
Delaware
56.5
60.2
-3.7
446,000
Oregon
56.5
59.5
-3.0
1,945,000
Pennsylvania
56.5
60.4
-3.9
5,808,000
Arizona
56.1
58.8
-2.7
3,288,000
Tennessee
56.0
59.8
-3.8
3,044,000
North Carolina
54.9
59.2
-4.3
4,587,000
Michigan
54.6
59.4
-4.8
4,363,000
California
54.4
59.8
-5.4
16,913,000
South Carolina
54.2
56.6
-2.4
2,237,000
Alabama
54.1
56.1
-2.0
2,099,000
Arkansas
53.9
56.2
-2.3
1,272,000
Kentucky
53.8
56.7
-2.9
1,886,000
Nevada
53.8
61.9
-8.1
1,334,000
New York
53.7
58.4
-4.7
8,361,000
Louisiana
53.2
56.4
-3.2
1,905,000
Florida
52.9
57.4
-4.5
9,333,000
Hawaii
52.7
59.8
-7.1
573,000
New Mexico
52.3
55.5
-3.2
864,000
Mississippi
50.6
52.9
-2.3
1,158,000
West Virginia
50.3
52.4
-2.1
726,000
West Virginia and Mississippi had the lowest proportions of employed people among the states, 50.3 percent and 50.6 percent, respectively. Nebraska had the highest employment–population ratio, at 66.7 percent. Fifteen states registered their lowest employment–population ratios since the data series began in 1976.
The national employment–population ratio fell by 4.0 percentage points to 56.8 percent in 2020. Overall, 23 states and the District of Columbia had employment–population ratios higher than the U.S. ratio of 56.8 percent, 15 states had lower ratios, and 12 states had ratios that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. To learn more, see “Regional and State Unemployment – 2020 Annual Averages.” The employment–population ratio is the proportion of the civilian population age 16 years and older who are employed. The deterioration in the labor market in 2020 reflected the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it.
United States Department of Labor
