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Unemployment rates higher in 18 states over the year ended December 2023
January 30, 2024
In December 2023, unemployment rates were higher than a year earlier in 18 states and the District of Columbia, lower in 15 states, and stable in 17 states. Over the month, jobless rates increased in 15 states, decreased in 1 state, and were little changed in 34 states and the District.
State unemployment rates, December 2013 to December 2023
Hover over a state to view corresponding line in chart
State unemployment rates, December 2023
State
Unemployment rate, December 2023
Unemployment rate, November 2023
Unemployment rate, December 2022
Alabama
2.6
2.4
2.6
Alaska
4.5
4.4
3.7
Arizona
4.3
4.3
4.0
Arkansas
3.4
3.3
3.4
California
5.1
4.9
4.1
Colorado
3.4
3.3
2.8
Connecticut
3.8
3.6
4.0
Delaware
4.2
4.2
4.6
District of Columbia
5.1
5.0
4.2
Florida
3.0
2.9
2.7
Georgia
3.4
3.4
3.1
Hawaii
2.9
2.9
3.7
Idaho
3.3
3.3
2.8
Illinois
4.8
4.7
4.6
Indiana
3.6
3.7
3.1
Iowa
3.2
3.3
3.0
Kansas
2.8
2.9
2.9
Kentucky
4.3
4.3
3.9
Louisiana
3.7
3.5
3.5
Maine
3.2
3.0
3.1
Maryland
1.9
1.8
3.0
Massachusetts
3.2
2.9
3.7
Michigan
4.3
4.3
4.3
Minnesota
2.9
3.1
2.9
Mississippi
3.3
3.3
4.0
Missouri
3.3
3.2
2.7
Montana
3.2
3.0
2.6
Nebraska
2.3
2.3
2.7
Nevada
5.4
5.4
5.5
New Hampshire
2.5
2.3
2.9
New Jersey
4.8
4.7
3.3
New Mexico
4.0
3.9
3.5
New York
4.5
4.3
4.1
North Carolina
3.5
3.5
3.8
North Dakota
1.9
1.9
2.1
Ohio
3.7
3.6
4.1
Oklahoma
3.4
3.3
3.2
Oregon
3.7
3.6
4.8
Pennsylvania
3.5
3.4
4.3
Rhode Island
3.2
2.9
3.2
South Carolina
3.0
3.0
3.3
South Dakota
2.0
2.0
2.2
Tennessee
3.5
3.5
3.5
Texas
4.0
4.1
3.8
Utah
2.8
2.8
2.4
Vermont
2.2
2.1
3.0
Virginia
3.0
2.9
3.1
Washington
4.2
4.0
4.5
West Virginia
4.3
4.2
4.1
Wisconsin
3.3
3.3
3.0
Wyoming
3.0
3.0
3.9
Note: Data are seasonally adjusted and are in percent.
Maryland and North Dakota had the lowest jobless rates in December, 1.9 percent each. The next lowest rate was in South Dakota, 2.0 percent. Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.4 percent.
The largest unemployment rate increases over the month were in Massachusetts and Rhode Island (+0.3 percentage point each). Minnesota had the only rate decrease (−0.2 percentage point) in December 2023.
Compared to a year earlier, New Jersey had the largest unemployment rate increase (+1.5 percentage points). Maryland and Oregon had the largest over-the-year rate decreases (−1.1 percentage points each).
Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a month earlier and 17 states had rates not notably different from a year earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
United States Department of Labor
