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Unemployment rate 16.1 percent in Massachusetts, 4.5 percent in Utah, in July 2020
August 27, 2020
Massachusetts had the highest unemployment rate in July 2020, 16.1 percent, followed by New York, 15.9 percent. Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, and Hawaii also had unemployment rates above 13.0 percent in July. The rates in Connecticut (10.2 percent), New Mexico (12.7 percent), and New York (15.9 percent) set new series highs. (State unemployment data begin in 1976.)
Unemployment rates by state, January 2020–July 2020
State
Jan 2020
Feb 2020
Mar 2020
Apr 2020
May 2020
Jun 2020
Jul 2020
Massachusetts
2.8%
2.8%
2.8%
16.2%
16.6%
17.7%
16.1%
New York
3.8
3.7
4.1
15.3
14.5
15.6
15.9
Nevada
3.6
3.6
6.9
30.1
25.3
15.2
14.0
New Jersey
3.8
3.8
3.7
16.3
15.4
16.8
13.8
Pennsylvania
4.7
4.7
5.8
16.1
13.4
13.2
13.7
California
3.9
3.9
5.5
16.4
16.4
14.9
13.3
Hawaii
2.7
2.7
2.4
23.8
23.5
13.4
13.1
New Mexico
4.8
4.8
6.3
11.9
9.1
8.4
12.7
Alaska
6.0
5.8
5.2
13.5
12.7
12.4
11.6
Florida
2.8
2.8
4.4
13.8
13.7
10.3
11.3
Illinois
3.5
3.4
4.2
17.2
15.3
14.5
11.3
Rhode Island
3.4
3.4
4.7
18.1
16.4
12.6
11.2
Mississippi
5.5
5.4
5.1
16.3
10.5
8.8
10.8
Arizona
4.5
4.5
6.1
13.4
9.0
10.0
10.6
Delaware
4.0
3.9
5.0
14.9
15.9
12.6
10.4
Oregon
3.3
3.3
3.5
14.9
14.3
11.6
10.4
Washington
3.9
3.8
5.1
16.3
15.1
10.0
10.3
Connecticut
3.7
3.8
3.4
8.3
9.6
10.1
10.2
Maine
3.1
3.2
3.0
10.4
9.4
6.7
9.9
West Virginia
5.0
4.9
6.0
15.9
12.9
10.5
9.9
Tennessee
3.3
3.4
3.3
15.5
11.0
9.6
9.5
Louisiana
5.3
5.2
6.7
15.1
14.2
9.5
9.4
Ohio
4.1
4.1
5.8
17.6
13.9
11.0
8.9
Michigan
3.8
3.6
4.3
24.0
21.3
14.9
8.7
South Carolina
2.4
2.5
3.2
12.8
12.4
8.7
8.6
North Carolina
3.6
3.6
4.3
12.9
12.8
7.5
8.5
District of Columbia
5.2
5.1
6.0
11.7
8.8
8.7
8.4
Vermont
2.4
2.4
3.1
16.5
12.8
9.5
8.3
New Hampshire
2.6
2.6
2.4
17.1
15.4
9.2
8.1
Texas
3.5
3.5
5.1
13.5
13.0
8.4
8.0
Virginia
2.7
2.6
3.3
11.2
9.0
8.1
8.0
Alabama
2.7
2.7
3.0
13.8
9.6
7.6
7.9
Indiana
3.1
3.1
3.0
17.5
12.3
11.1
7.8
Minnesota
3.2
3.1
2.9
8.7
9.9
8.6
7.7
Georgia
3.1
3.1
4.6
12.6
9.4
7.6
7.6
Maryland
3.3
3.3
3.3
10.1
10.0
8.3
7.6
Colorado
2.5
2.5
5.2
12.2
10.2
10.6
7.4
Kansas
3.1
3.1
2.8
11.9
10.0
7.5
7.2
Arkansas
3.5
3.5
5.0
10.8
9.6
8.1
7.1
Oklahoma
3.3
3.2
2.9
14.7
12.6
6.4
7.1
Wyoming
3.7
3.7
3.8
9.6
8.8
7.6
7.1
Wisconsin
3.5
3.5
3.1
13.6
12.1
8.6
7.0
Missouri
3.5
3.5
3.9
10.2
10.1
7.8
6.9
Iowa
2.8
2.8
3.3
11.0
10.2
8.4
6.6
North Dakota
2.3
2.2
2.0
9.1
9.1
7.4
6.6
Montana
3.5
3.5
3.6
11.9
9.0
7.2
6.4
South Dakota
3.4
3.3
3.1
10.9
9.4
7.2
6.3
Kentucky
4.3
4.2
5.2
16.6
10.9
4.4
5.7
Idaho
2.8
2.7
2.5
11.8
9.0
5.8
5.0
Nebraska
2.9
2.9
4.0
8.7
5.3
5.5
4.8
Utah
2.5
2.5
3.8
10.4
8.6
5.3
4.5
Note: Data for the most recent month are preliminary.
Utah had the lowest unemployment rate in July, 4.5 percent, followed by Nebraska, 4.8 percent, and Idaho, 5.0 percent.
The largest unemployment rate decrease in July occurred in Michigan (−6.2 percentage points, as the jobless rate dropped from 14.9 percent to 8.7 percent). Rates declined over the month by at least 2.0 percentage points in an additional six states: Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Delaware, and Ohio.
The largest over-the-month jobless rate increases occurred in New Mexico (+4.3 percentage points) and Maine (+3.2 points).
From July 2019 to July 2020, the largest unemployment rate increases occurred in Massachusetts (+13.2 percentage points) and New York (+12.0 points). Nevada, Hawaii, and New Jersey experienced increases more than 10.0 percentage points. The smallest over-the-year rate increases occurred in Kentucky (+1.4 percentage points) and Nebraska (+1.7 points).
United States Department of Labor
