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Unemployment rates down in 41 states, July 2020 to August 2020
September 24, 2020
Unemployment rates were lower in August 2020 in 41 states, higher in 2 states, and stable in 7 states and the District of Columbia. All 50 states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier. The national unemployment rate fell by 1.8 percentage points over the month to 8.4 percent but was 4.7 points higher than in August 2019.
State unemployment rates, August 2019 to August 2020, seasonally adjusted
State
Aug 2019
Sep 2019
Oct 2019
Nov 2019
Dec 2019
Jan 2020
Feb 2020
Mar 2020
Apr 2020
May 2020
Jun 2020
Jul 2020
Aug 2020
Alabama
2.8%
2.7%
2.7%
2.7%
2.7%
2.7%
2.7%
3.0%
13.8%
9.6%
7.6%
7.9%
5.6%
Alaska
6.2
6.2
6.1
6.1
6.1
6.0
5.8
5.2
13.5
12.7
12.4
11.6
7.4
Arizona
4.6
4.6
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
6.1
13.4
9.0
10.0
10.7
5.9
Arkansas
3.6
3.6
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
5.0
10.8
9.6
8.1
7.1
7.4
California
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
5.5
16.4
16.4
14.9
13.5
11.4
Colorado
2.6
2.6
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
5.2
12.2
10.2
10.6
7.4
6.7
Connecticut
3.7
3.7
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.7
3.8
3.4
8.3
9.6
10.1
10.2
8.1
Delaware
3.9
3.9
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
3.9
5.0
14.9
15.9
12.6
10.5
8.9
District of Columbia
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.2
5.1
6.0
11.7
8.8
8.7
8.5
8.5
Florida
3.0
2.9
2.9
2.8
2.9
2.8
2.8
4.4
13.8
13.7
10.3
11.4
7.4
Georgia
3.3
3.2
3.2
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
4.6
12.6
9.4
7.6
7.6
5.6
Hawaii
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.6
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.4
23.8
23.5
13.4
13.5
12.5
Idaho
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.8
2.7
2.5
11.8
9.0
5.8
5.1
4.2
Illinois
3.8
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.5
3.4
4.2
17.2
15.3
14.5
11.5
11.0
Indiana
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.1
3.1
3.0
17.5
12.3
11.1
7.9
6.4
Iowa
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
3.3
11.0
10.2
8.4
6.8
6.0
Kansas
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
2.8
11.9
10.0
7.5
7.2
6.9
Kentucky
4.3
4.3
4.3
4.3
4.3
4.3
4.2
5.2
16.6
10.9
4.4
4.5
7.6
Louisiana
4.9
5.1
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.3
5.2
6.7
15.1
14.2
9.5
9.4
7.6
Maine
2.9
2.9
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.0
10.4
9.4
6.7
9.9
6.9
Maryland
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.3
3.3
10.1
10.0
8.3
7.8
6.9
Massachusetts
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
16.2
16.6
17.7
16.2
11.3
Michigan
4.0
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.8
3.6
4.3
24.0
21.3
14.9
8.7
8.7
Minnesota
3.2
3.2
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.2
3.1
2.9
8.7
9.9
8.6
7.6
7.4
Mississippi
5.5
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.5
5.4
5.1
16.3
10.5
8.8
9.4
7.9
Missouri
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.5
3.5
3.9
10.2
10.1
7.8
6.9
7.0
Montana
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.6
11.9
9.0
7.2
6.5
5.6
Nebraska
3.1
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.9
2.9
4.0
8.7
5.3
5.5
4.9
4.0
Nevada
3.8
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.6
3.6
6.9
30.1
25.3
15.2
14.2
13.2
New Hampshire
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.4
17.1
15.4
9.2
8.0
6.5
New Jersey
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.8
3.8
3.7
16.3
15.4
16.8
14.2
10.9
New Mexico
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.8
6.3
11.9
9.1
8.4
12.7
11.3
New York
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
3.8
3.7
4.1
15.3
14.5
15.6
15.9
12.5
North Carolina
3.8
3.7
3.7
3.6
3.6
3.6
3.6
4.3
12.9
12.8
7.5
8.5
6.5
North Dakota
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.3
2.2
2.0
9.1
9.1
7.4
6.6
5.0
Ohio
4.2
4.1
4.1
4.1
4.1
4.1
4.1
5.8
17.6
13.9
11.0
9.0
8.9
Oklahoma
3.3
3.3
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.2
2.9
14.7
12.6
6.4
7.1
5.7
Oregon
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.3
3.5
14.9
14.3
11.6
10.4
7.7
Pennsylvania
4.5
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.7
4.7
5.8
16.1
13.4
13.2
12.5
10.3
Rhode Island
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.4
3.4
4.7
18.1
16.4
12.6
11.3
12.8
South Carolina
2.5
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.5
3.2
12.8
12.4
8.7
8.7
6.3
South Dakota
3.3
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.1
10.9
9.4
7.2
6.4
4.8
Tennessee
3.4
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.4
3.3
15.5
11.0
9.6
9.7
8.5
Texas
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
5.1
13.5
13.0
8.4
8.0
6.8
Utah
2.5
2.5
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.5
2.5
3.8
10.4
8.6
5.3
4.5
4.1
Vermont
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
3.1
16.5
12.8
9.5
8.3
4.8
Virginia
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.6
3.3
11.2
9.0
8.1
7.9
6.1
Washington
4.2
4.1
4.0
4.0
4.0
3.9
3.8
5.1
16.3
15.1
10.0
10.2
8.5
West Virginia
4.9
5.0
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.0
4.9
6.0
15.9
12.9
10.5
10.0
8.9
Wisconsin
3.4
3.4
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.1
13.6
12.1
8.6
7.1
6.2
Wyoming
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.8
9.6
8.8
7.6
7.1
6.6
Nevada had the highest unemployment rate in August, 13.2 percent, followed by Rhode Island, 12.8 percent, and Hawaii and New York, 12.5 percent each.
Nebraska had the lowest rate, 4.0 percent, followed by Utah, 4.1 percent, and Idaho, 4.2 percent. In total, 29 states had jobless rates lower than the U.S. figure of 8.4 percent, 10 states had higher rates, and 11 states and the District of Columbia had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
United States Department of Labor
