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In May 2020, the proportion of the statewide civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over with a job was less than 50.0 percent in 10 states. Nevada had the lowest employment–population ratio in May 2020, at 41.9 percent. This compared with 61.1 percent in May 2019.
State | May 2000 | May 2001 | May 2002 | May 2003 | May 2004 | May 2005 | May 2006 | May 2007 | May 2008 | May 2009 | May 2010 | May 2011 | May 2012 | May 2013 | May 2014 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama |
60.4% | 59.4% | 58.1% | 58.3% | 58.5% | 59.0% | 59.1% | 58.8% | 57.7% | 53.4% | 53.7% | 53.4% | 53.4% | 53.8% | 53.2% |
Alaska |
68.9 | 68.0 | 66.9 | 66.6 | 66.0 | 66.9 | 66.8 | 66.2 | 66.5 | 64.9 | 64.4 | 64.0 | 63.5 | 63.2 | 63.1 |
Arizona |
62.7 | 62.4 | 62.0 | 61.8 | 61.7 | 61.6 | 61.8 | 61.4 | 60.2 | 57.3 | 57.4 | 55.8 | 55.5 | 55.0 | 55.7 |
Arkansas |
59.7 | 58.5 | 58.6 | 57.7 | 58.5 | 60.3 | 60.5 | 59.9 | 59.8 | 57.0 | 55.6 | 55.3 | 55.1 | 54.0 | 54.0 |
California |
63.8 | 63.7 | 62.4 | 61.5 | 61.4 | 62.0 | 62.1 | 62.2 | 61.4 | 58.2 | 56.4 | 56.0 | 56.5 | 57.3 | 57.6 |
Colorado |
70.5 | 68.9 | 67.8 | 67.7 | 68.6 | 68.6 | 69.2 | 69.4 | 68.9 | 66.2 | 64.6 | 63.8 | 63.5 | 63.5 | 64.3 |
Connecticut |
66.5 | 65.4 | 64.6 | 63.8 | 63.2 | 63.8 | 64.8 | 65.5 | 65.3 | 63.5 | 61.9 | 61.7 | 60.9 | 60.0 | 61.3 |
Delaware |
66.6 | 67.6 | 65.5 | 63.8 | 64.0 | 64.1 | 64.7 | 64.1 | 63.2 | 59.0 | 56.4 | 57.6 | 57.7 | 56.6 | 57.6 |
District of Columbia |
63.8 | 63.1 | 62.3 | 62.1 | 61.7 | 63.4 | 63.2 | 64.1 | 65.1 | 62.5 | 62.5 | 60.9 | 62.6 | 63.7 | 63.6 |
Florida |
60.6 | 60.7 | 58.9 | 58.7 | 59.3 | 60.4 | 61.4 | 61.5 | 60.1 | 56.1 | 54.7 | 54.9 | 55.5 | 56.0 | 56.3 |
Georgia |
67.0 | 65.9 | 64.7 | 64.7 | 64.4 | 64.3 | 64.8 | 65.0 | 64.8 | 59.3 | 57.5 | 57.6 | 58.1 | 57.9 | 57.5 |
Hawaii |
64.5 | 64.7 | 62.9 | 62.8 | 62.6 | 63.9 | 64.5 | 64.3 | 63.4 | 59.7 | 57.6 | 58.6 | 57.0 | 57.5 | 58.9 |
Idaho |
66.2 | 66.5 | 65.5 | 64.7 | 64.8 | 66.5 | 66.5 | 66.1 | 63.6 | 60.1 | 59.5 | 59.4 | 59.8 | 59.8 | 60.5 |
Illinois |
66.7 | 65.3 | 62.9 | 61.8 | 62.0 | 62.7 | 64.1 | 64.9 | 64.1 | 60.5 | 60.1 | 59.7 | 59.9 | 59.4 | 60.1 |
Indiana |
66.0 | 65.1 | 64.5 | 64.4 | 63.7 | 63.7 | 64.1 | 63.3 | 62.8 | 58.7 | 57.4 | 57.7 | 57.7 | 58.0 | 59.4 |
Iowa |
69.3 | 69.5 | 70.3 | 68.1 | 67.5 | 68.5 | 69.7 | 69.2 | 69.5 | 67.8 | 66.9 | 66.2 | 65.7 | 66.2 | 67.3 |
Kansas |
68.1 | 66.2 | 66.1 | 66.5 | 67.4 | 67.4 | 67.4 | 67.8 | 67.9 | 66.7 | 65.0 | 64.5 | 64.3 | 64.5 | 65.0 |
Kentucky |
61.2 | 60.0 | 58.7 | 58.3 | 58.4 | 58.7 | 58.9 | 58.9 | 57.7 | 55.6 | 55.1 | 55.2 | 55.7 | 55.7 | 54.8 |
Louisiana |
58.8 | 58.3 | 56.8 | 56.7 | 57.1 | 58.2 | 59.3 | 58.9 | 59.2 | 56.9 | 56.1 | 54.9 | 55.1 | 55.5 | 56.6 |
Maine |
66.3 | 64.7 | 63.6 | 63.3 | 63.2 | 63.5 | 63.7 | 63.2 | 62.9 | 60.1 | 59.4 | 59.6 | 60.0 | 60.7 | 60.5 |
Maryland |
67.7 | 67.4 | 66.9 | 66.4 | 65.7 | 65.9 | 66.3 | 66.3 | 66.2 | 64.3 | 63.1 | 63.1 | 63.0 | 63.1 | 62.9 |
Massachusetts |
65.8 | 65.6 | 65.0 | 64.2 | 63.9 | 63.7 | 63.7 | 63.7 | 63.1 | 61.1 | 61.0 | 60.7 | 60.8 | 60.6 | 61.4 |
Michigan |
66.4 | 64.6 | 61.8 | 60.8 | 61.1 | 61.3 | 60.9 | 60.1 | 58.7 | 54.7 | 54.5 | 53.9 | 54.4 | 55.1 | 56.1 |
Minnesota |
73.1 | 72.6 | 71.5 | 71.0 | 70.6 | 70.4 | 69.9 | 69.2 | 68.5 | 66.6 | 66.2 | 66.3 | 66.4 | 66.7 | 66.9 |
Mississippi |
59.8 | 58.5 | 56.8 | 57.2 | 57.8 | 57.5 | 56.1 | 56.1 | 56.3 | 52.6 | 50.8 | 53.8 | 53.4 | 51.6 | 50.8 |
Missouri |
67.4 | 67.4 | 65.9 | 65.8 | 64.8 | 64.3 | 64.2 | 63.7 | 62.4 | 60.3 | 59.9 | 59.9 | 60.2 | 60.1 | 60.5 |
Montana |
64.8 | 64.4 | 63.8 | 63.4 | 63.8 | 63.7 | 64.6 | 64.6 | 63.9 | 60.9 | 59.7 | 59.3 | 60.2 | 60.5 | 60.6 |
Nebraska |
71.6 | 71.5 | 70.8 | 70.9 | 70.9 | 70.8 | 70.5 | 70.7 | 70.9 | 69.5 | 68.2 | 68.4 | 69.1 | 69.1 | 68.4 |
Nevada |
67.2 | 67.1 | 65.3 | 64.4 | 64.1 | 64.5 | 65.4 | 65.6 | 65.0 | 60.1 | 56.6 | 57.0 | 57.5 | 57.9 | 58.3 |
New Hampshire |
70.6 | 70.1 | 68.5 | 68.1 | 68.4 | 68.7 | 68.5 | 68.3 | 68.1 | 66.1 | 66.1 | 65.7 | 65.5 | 65.5 | 65.6 |
New Jersey |
64.3 | 63.3 | 62.7 | 62.2 | 62.7 | 63.3 | 63.5 | 63.5 | 63.7 | 61.4 | 60.1 | 59.7 | 59.8 | 59.9 | 59.7 |
New Mexico |
59.8 | 60.4 | 60.2 | 60.2 | 60.3 | 60.6 | 60.9 | 60.7 | 60.4 | 57.5 | 55.1 | 54.4 | 54.0 | 53.7 | 54.1 |
New York |
60.0 | 59.7 | 59.1 | 58.6 | 58.9 | 59.9 | 60.1 | 59.8 | 60.0 | 57.9 | 57.4 | 56.3 | 56.3 | 57.1 | 56.8 |
North Carolina |
65.4 | 64.3 | 62.3 | 62.8 | 62.3 | 62.3 | 62.9 | 62.6 | 61.4 | 57.6 | 56.4 | 56.0 | 56.4 | 56.8 | 57.2 |
North Dakota |
68.5 | 68.8 | 67.7 | 68.0 | 69.5 | 69.7 | 70.6 | 71.7 | 72.3 | 70.1 | 69.4 | 70.3 | 70.9 | 70.8 | 70.7 |
Ohio |
64.5 | 64.4 | 63.4 | 63.0 | 62.6 | 62.8 | 63.4 | 63.6 | 62.9 | 59.4 | 58.6 | 58.4 | 58.6 | 58.4 | 58.9 |
Oklahoma |
62.4 | 62.4 | 61.8 | 60.7 | 60.9 | 61.2 | 61.2 | 60.9 | 61.3 | 59.8 | 58.1 | 58.1 | 59.1 | 58.5 | 58.1 |
Oregon |
65.6 | 64.0 | 62.4 | 61.6 | 61.3 | 61.4 | 62.0 | 62.3 | 62.0 | 58.3 | 58.4 | 59.0 | 57.8 | 56.3 | 56.9 |
Pennsylvania |
61.7 | 61.9 | 61.5 | 60.6 | 60.8 | 61.3 | 61.4 | 61.7 | 62.0 | 59.5 | 58.1 | 58.1 | 58.6 | 58.7 | 58.9 |
Rhode Island |
64.3 | 63.4 | 63.1 | 63.7 | 63.2 | 64.1 | 64.9 | 65.1 | 63.1 | 60.0 | 59.9 | 59.2 | 58.9 | 59.4 | 60.1 |
South Carolina |
63.6 | 60.5 | 59.2 | 59.4 | 59.6 | 59.6 | 59.6 | 59.6 | 58.4 | 54.9 | 53.6 | 53.9 | 54.2 | 54.6 | 55.2 |
South Dakota |
71.2 | 70.7 | 70.8 | 70.8 | 70.7 | 70.3 | 70.5 | 71.2 | 71.0 | 68.9 | 68.0 | 67.4 | 67.1 | 66.7 | 67.0 |
Tennessee |
62.8 | 62.2 | 62.0 | 61.4 | 60.2 | 59.3 | 61.1 | 61.7 | 59.5 | 56.3 | 56.7 | 57.1 | 56.9 | 56.1 | 55.2 |
Texas |
65.4 | 64.8 | 63.8 | 63.5 | 63.4 | 63.3 | 63.4 | 62.9 | 62.8 | 61.0 | 60.5 | 60.7 | 61.0 | 61.2 | 61.6 |
Utah |
69.9 | 68.9 | 67.5 | 67.0 | 67.5 | 68.6 | 69.6 | 70.2 | 68.8 | 64.5 | 64.0 | 63.1 | 64.1 | 65.0 | 65.4 |
Vermont |
68.0 | 68.1 | 68.3 | 67.8 | 68.2 | 68.2 | 69.0 | 67.8 | 67.0 | 66.3 | 66.6 | 66.4 | 66.0 | 65.4 | 65.0 |
Virginia |
66.4 | 66.3 | 65.5 | 65.3 | 64.9 | 65.8 | 66.5 | 66.7 | 67.3 | 64.3 | 62.7 | 63.0 | 62.7 | 62.7 | 62.5 |
Washington |
65.3 | 63.1 | 62.0 | 61.9 | 63.2 | 64.0 | 64.2 | 64.7 | 64.8 | 62.4 | 60.5 | 59.1 | 59.3 | 59.2 | 59.2 |
West Virginia |
53.5 | 54.0 | 52.8 | 51.6 | 51.8 | 52.2 | 53.2 | 53.6 | 53.8 | 51.8 | 50.1 | 49.8 | 50.3 | 50.2 | 49.8 |
Wisconsin |
70.3 | 69.9 | 68.6 | 68.5 | 68.0 | 67.2 | 67.4 | 67.4 | 67.3 | 64.4 | 63.5 | 63.7 | 63.7 | 63.8 | 64.2 |
Wyoming |
68.8 | 69.2 | 68.1 | 68.4 | 68.5 | 68.4 | 68.8 | 69.0 | 69.2 | 67.4 | 65.3 | 66.2 | 65.7 | 65.2 | 65.4 |
State | May 2015 | May 2016 | May 2017 | May 2018 | May 2019 | May 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama |
53.5% | 53.8% | 54.5% | 55.3% | 56.2% | 52.2% |
Alaska |
62.8 | 61.8 | 61.3 | 60.5 | 60.0 | 53.5 |
Arizona |
56.4 | 56.8 | 57.6 | 58.1 | 58.9 | 55.5 |
Arkansas |
54.9 | 55.7 | 55.9 | 55.8 | 56.0 | 51.7 |
California |
58.3 | 58.8 | 59.2 | 59.6 | 59.7 | 49.6 |
Colorado |
64.2 | 64.6 | 66.0 | 66.8 | 67.1 | 59.7 |
Connecticut |
62.2 | 62.3 | 63.0 | 63.0 | 63.6 | 55.6 |
Delaware |
59.3 | 59.9 | 59.7 | 60.2 | 60.3 | 50.6 |
District of Columbia |
65.0 | 65.8 | 66.0 | 66.6 | 67.0 | 60.9 |
Florida |
55.8 | 56.1 | 57.1 | 57.1 | 57.2 | 47.1 |
Georgia |
57.7 | 58.9 | 60.2 | 60.4 | 60.0 | 53.4 |
Hawaii |
59.7 | 60.5 | 61.1 | 60.5 | 59.0 | 45.0 |
Idaho |
61.2 | 61.6 | 61.8 | 62.3 | 62.6 | 57.6 |
Illinois |
60.8 | 61.4 | 61.3 | 61.7 | 61.8 | 53.4 |
Indiana |
60.6 | 61.9 | 62.1 | 62.7 | 62.3 | 55.5 |
Iowa |
67.3 | 66.9 | 66.1 | 66.8 | 68.3 | 61.4 |
Kansas |
64.8 | 64.4 | 64.2 | 64.3 | 64.5 | 60.6 |
Kentucky |
54.5 | 55.1 | 56.2 | 56.6 | 56.6 | 51.6 |
Louisiana |
56.9 | 55.8 | 55.6 | 55.9 | 55.7 | 49.6 |
Maine |
59.9 | 60.7 | 61.4 | 61.1 | 60.4 | 54.1 |
Maryland |
63.5 | 64.1 | 64.9 | 65.1 | 65.9 | 58.8 |
Massachusetts |
62.2 | 62.7 | 63.5 | 65.1 | 65.5 | 52.2 |
Michigan |
56.9 | 58.2 | 58.6 | 59.0 | 59.1 | 46.8 |
Minnesota |
67.5 | 67.6 | 67.8 | 67.9 | 67.9 | 62.1 |
Mississippi |
51.9 | 52.6 | 53.0 | 52.9 | 52.7 | 47.2 |
Missouri |
61.7 | 62.0 | 61.8 | 61.7 | 61.8 | 56.1 |
Montana |
60.9 | 60.9 | 60.7 | 60.5 | 60.5 | 55.4 |
Nebraska |
67.8 | 67.5 | 67.2 | 67.5 | 67.7 | 67.1 |
Nevada |
58.8 | 58.9 | 59.6 | 60.4 | 61.1 | 41.9 |
New Hampshire |
66.2 | 66.6 | 66.4 | 66.8 | 67.2 | 55.0 |
New Jersey |
60.2 | 60.5 | 60.4 | 60.1 | 61.0 | 54.2 |
New Mexico |
54.3 | 54.1 | 54.2 | 54.7 | 55.2 | 49.9 |
New York |
57.6 | 57.8 | 58.0 | 58.1 | 58.2 | 49.8 |
North Carolina |
57.7 | 58.3 | 58.8 | 58.9 | 59.1 | 50.4 |
North Dakota |
69.4 | 68.9 | 69.1 | 67.8 | 67.7 | 62.5 |
Ohio |
59.4 | 59.7 | 59.8 | 59.9 | 60.1 | 53.5 |
Oklahoma |
59.1 | 58.3 | 58.5 | 59.2 | 58.8 | 52.3 |
Oregon |
57.9 | 59.4 | 60.3 | 59.8 | 59.4 | 52.9 |
Pennsylvania |
59.4 | 59.7 | 59.8 | 59.9 | 60.2 | 54.6 |
Rhode Island |
61.0 | 61.1 | 61.6 | 61.8 | 61.9 | 50.5 |
South Carolina |
55.9 | 56.2 | 56.1 | 56.4 | 56.7 | 51.5 |
South Dakota |
67.3 | 67.2 | 66.8 | 66.8 | 66.7 | 62.1 |
Tennessee |
56.0 | 57.0 | 58.1 | 58.8 | 59.9 | 53.9 |
Texas |
61.0 | 60.9 | 61.0 | 61.5 | 61.6 | 52.8 |
Utah |
65.8 | 66.2 | 66.7 | 66.3 | 66.5 | 61.5 |
Vermont |
64.7 | 64.8 | 64.9 | 65.2 | 64.7 | 57.7 |
Virginia |
62.1 | 62.1 | 63.0 | 63.4 | 64.0 | 58.4 |
Washington |
59.7 | 60.2 | 60.8 | 61.2 | 62.0 | 55.0 |
West Virginia |
49.2 | 49.8 | 50.4 | 51.0 | 52.2 | 47.2 |
Wisconsin |
64.8 | 65.7 | 66.1 | 65.8 | 64.8 | 58.6 |
Wyoming |
64.7 | 63.2 | 62.8 | 62.5 | 62.7 | 59.5 |
In May 2020, other states with employment-population ratios of less than 50.0 percent included Hawaii, Michigan, Florida, Mississippi, West Virginia, California, Louisiana, New York, and New Mexico. Nebraska had the highest employment–population ratio in May 2020, at 67.1 percent, down from 67.7 percent in May 2019. Other states with high employment–population ratios were North Dakota (62.5 percent), and South Dakota and Minnesota (62.1 percent each).
In addition to Nevada, 7 other states experienced a decrease in their employment–population ratio of at least 10.0-percentage points from May 2019 to May 2020. These included Hawaii (−14.0 percentage points), Massachusetts (−13.3 percentage points), Michigan (−12.3 percentage points), New Hampshire (−12.2 percentage points), Rhode Island (−11.4 percentage points), and Florida and California (−10.1 percentage points each).
These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. Also, see more information on statewide employment–population ratios and more charts and maps on state employment.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment–population ratio less than 50.0 percent for 10 states in May 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/employment-population-ratio-less-than-50-point-0-percent-for-10-states-in-may-2020.htm (visited October 15, 2024).