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All 50 states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier in September 2020
October 26, 2020
Unemployment rates were lower in September 2020 than in August in 30 states, higher in 8 states, and stable in 12 states and the District of Columbia. All 50 states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier.
Unemployment rate, 12-month change in the unemployment rate, and number of unemployed in September 2020, by state, seasonally adjusted
State and area
Unemployment rate
12-month change
Number of unemployed
Alabama
6.6%
3.9 percentage point(s)
148,912
Alaska
7.2
1.0
23,836
Arizona
6.7
2.1
237,774
Arkansas
7.3
3.7
97,191
California
11.0
7.1
2,058,786
Colorado
6.4
3.8
201,997
Connecticut
7.8
4.1
147,117
Delaware
8.2
4.3
40,394
District of Columbia
8.7
3.4
34,476
Florida
7.6
4.7
769,859
Georgia
6.4
3.2
316,740
Hawaii
15.1
12.4
92,544
Idaho
6.1
3.2
56,303
Illinois
10.2
6.5
652,104
Indiana
6.2
3.0
208,281
Iowa
4.7
1.9
76,564
Kansas
5.9
2.8
87,728
Kentucky
5.6
1.3
107,923
Louisiana
8.1
3.0
170,329
Maine
6.1
3.2
41,373
Maryland
7.2
3.7
219,375
Massachusetts
9.6
6.8
365,410
Michigan
8.5
4.6
416,524
Minnesota
6.0
2.8
182,763
Mississippi
7.1
1.5
91,796
Missouri
4.9
1.6
146,051
Montana
5.3
1.8
28,114
Nebraska
3.5
0.5
36,333
Nevada
12.6
8.9
191,707
New Hampshire
6.0
3.4
44,513
New Jersey
6.7
3.1
293,229
New Mexico
9.4
4.6
89,561
New York
9.7
5.8
884,650
North Carolina
7.3
3.6
356,952
North Dakota
4.4
2.0
17,269
Ohio
8.4
4.3
471,522
Oklahoma
5.3
2.0
99,813
Oregon
8.0
4.5
165,048
Pennsylvania
8.1
3.5
518,081
Rhode Island
10.5
7.0
59,014
South Carolina
5.1
2.7
121,485
South Dakota
4.1
0.7
19,059
Tennessee
6.3
3.0
210,958
Texas
8.3
4.8
1,185,086
Utah
5.0
2.5
82,811
Vermont
4.2
1.8
13,553
Virginia
6.2
3.5
263,865
Washington
7.8
3.7
303,378
West Virginia
8.6
3.6
66,549
Wisconsin
5.4
2.0
169,384
Wyoming
6.1
2.4
17,970
Puerto Rico
8.4
0.5
87,258
Hawaii had the highest unemployment rate in September 2020 at 15.1 percent, followed by Nevada at 12.6 percent. Nebraska had the lowest rate, 3.5 percent, which was followed by South Dakota at 4.1 percent and Vermont at 4.2 percent.
California had the largest number of unemployed people in September 2020, 2.1 million. This was followed by Texas at 1.1 million people.
The largest unemployment rate increases from September 2019 occurred in Hawaii (+12.4 percentage points) and Nevada (+8.9 points). The smallest over-the-year rate increases occurred in Nebraska (+0.5 percentage point) and South Dakota (+0.7 point).
United States Department of Labor
