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21 states set historic lows in unemployment rates since 2010

May 23, 2019

Since 2010, a total of 21 states set historic lows in their unemployment rates. In April 2019, Pennsylvania (3.8 percent), Vermont (2.2 percent), and Wisconsin (2.8 percent) set new series lows. Vermont (2.2 percent) had the lowest unemployment rate in April 2019, while Alaska (6.5 percent) had the highest rate.
 Most recent decades in which state unemployment rates reached historic lows, 1976–2019
State Decade Most recent historic low April 2019(p) Prior year(s) matching low

Alabama

 2010-current Mar. 2019: 3.7% 3.8% None

Alaska

 2000-09 Jun. 2007: 6.3% 6.5% 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998

Arizona

 2000-09 Jul. 2007: 3.6% 4.9% None

Arkansas

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 3.6% 3.6% 2018, 2017

California

 2010-current Dec. 2018: 4.1% 4.3% None

Colorado

 2010-current Jun. 2017: 2.6% 3.4% None

Connecticut

 2000-09 Oct. 2000: 2.2% 3.8% None

Delaware

 1980-89 Jun. 1988: 3.0% 3.2% 1987

District of Columbia

 1980-89 Sept. 1989: 4.8% 5.6% 1988

Florida

 2000-09 Mar. 2006: 3.1% 3.4% None

Georgia

 2000-09 Dec. 2000: 3.4% 3.8% None

Hawaii

 2010-current Nov. 2017: 2.2% 2.8% None

Idaho

 2010-current Oct. 2018: 2.7% 2.8% None

Illinois

 1990-99 Feb. 1999: 4.1% 4.4% None

Indiana

 2000-09 Oct. 2000: 2.9% 3.6% 1999, 1998

Iowa

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 2.4% 2.4% 2018, 2000, 1999

Kansas

 1976-79 Aug. 1978: 2.9% 3.5% None

Kentucky

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 4.0% 4.0% None

Louisiana

 2000-09 Oct. 2007: 4.1% 4.5% None

Maine

 2010-current Mar. 2018: 3.2% 3.3% 2017, 2000

Maryland

 2000-09 Jan. 2008: 3.3% 3.8% 2007, 1999

Massachusetts

 2000-09 Oct. 2000: 2.6% 2.9% None

Michigan

 2000-09 Mar. 2000: 3.2% 4.1% None

Minnesota

 1990-99 Feb. 1999: 2.5% 3.3% None

Mississippi

 2010-current Jan. 2019: 4.7% 4.9% 2018

Missouri

 2010-current Oct. 2018: 3.0% 3.3% None

Montana

 2000-09 Feb. 2007: 2.9% 3.6% None

Nebraska

 1990-99 Oct. 1990: 2.3% 2.9% None

Nevada

 1990-99 Feb. 1999: 3.8% 4.0% 1998

New Hampshire

 1980-89 Mar. 1988: 2.2% 2.4% 1987

New Jersey

 2000-09 Jun. 2000: 3.6% 3.9% None

New Mexico

 2000-09 Sept. 2007: 3.7% 5.0% None

New York

 2010-current Oct. 2018: 3.8% 3.9% None

North Carolina

 1990-99 Apr. 1999: 3.0% 4.0% None

North Dakota

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 2.3% 2.3% None

Ohio

 2000-09 Feb. 2001: 3.7% 4.3% None

Oklahoma

 2000-09 Dec. 2000: 2.9% 3.3% None

Oregon

 2010-current Jul. 2018: 4.0% 4.3% None

Pennsylvania

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 3.8% 3.8% None

Rhode Island

 1980-89 Jul. 1988: 3.0% 3.7% None

South Carolina

 2010-current Mar. 2019: 3.2% 3.4% 2018

South Dakota

 2000-09 Jul. 2000: 2.4% 2.8% None

Tennessee

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 3.2% 3.2% None

Texas

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 3.7% 3.7% 2018

Utah

 2000-09 Apr. 2007: 2.4% 2.9% None

Vermont

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 2.2% 2.2% None

Virginia

 2000-09 Nov. 2000: 2.1% 2.9% None

Washington

 2010-current Oct. 2018: 4.4% 4.7% None

West Virginia

 2000-09 Jul. 2008: 4.0% 4.9% None

Wisconsin

 2010-current Apr. 2019: 2.8% 2.8% None

Wyoming

 1976-79 May 1979: 2.5% 3.6% None
Footnotes:

(p) = preliminary

Kansas and Nebraska are the only states that have maintained historic lows set during the period from 1976 to 1979. Kansas set a low of 2.9 percent in 1978, while Wyoming set its low of 2.5 percent in 1979. All state series begin in 1976.

The states that recorded their most recent unemployment rate lows from 1980 to 1989 all did so in 1988: Delaware at 3.0 percent, New Hampshire at 2.2 percent, and Rhode Island at 3.0 percent. The District of Columbia set its most recent historic unemployment rate low of 4.8 percent in 1989, after setting that same low in 1988.

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 — April 2019." We also have more charts and maps on state employment and unemployment.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, 21 states set historic lows in unemployment rates since 2010 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2019/21-states-set-historic-lows-in-unemployment-rates-since-2010.htm (visited October 07, 2024).

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