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In 2020, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had over-the-year decreases in their employment–population ratios. The largest of these declines occurred in Nevada (−8.1 percentage points), Hawaii (−7.1 points), and Massachusetts (−6.1 points). Three additional states recorded ratio decreases of at least 5.0 percentage points. The smallest over-the-year decrease occurred in Nebraska (−1.5 percentage points).
State | 2020 | 2019 | Over-the-year change | Total employment, 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States |
56.8% | 60.8% | -4.0 percentage point(s) | 147,795,000 |
Nebraska |
66.7 | 68.2 | -1.5 | 991,000 |
North Dakota |
66.0 | 68.5 | -2.5 | 386,000 |
Minnesota |
65.3 | 67.7 | -2.4 | 2,904,000 |
South Dakota |
65.0 | 66.7 | -1.7 | 442,000 |
Utah |
64.8 | 66.8 | -2.0 | 1,556,000 |
District of Columbia |
64.6 | 67.6 | -3.0 | 377,000 |
Iowa |
63.7 | 68.2 | -4.5 | 1,579,000 |
Kansas |
63.1 | 64.9 | -1.8 | 1,409,000 |
New Hampshire |
62.9 | 67.1 | -4.2 | 711,000 |
Colorado |
62.8 | 66.9 | -4.1 | 2,895,000 |
Maryland |
62.0 | 66.2 | -4.2 | 2,958,000 |
Wisconsin |
61.7 | 64.6 | -2.9 | 2,873,000 |
Wyoming |
61.5 | 63.2 | -1.7 | 279,000 |
Virginia |
60.6 | 64.5 | -3.9 | 4,075,000 |
Vermont |
60.1 | 64.9 | -4.8 | 312,000 |
Idaho |
60.0 | 62.4 | -2.4 | 844,000 |
Connecticut |
59.8 | 64.1 | -4.3 | 1,725,000 |
Missouri |
59.3 | 61.9 | -2.6 | 2,867,000 |
Massachusetts |
59.0 | 65.1 | -6.1 | 3,334,000 |
Montana |
59.0 | 60.8 | -1.8 | 508,000 |
Washington |
58.8 | 62.2 | -3.4 | 3,586,000 |
Alaska |
58.7 | 61.3 | -2.6 | 320,000 |
Indiana |
58.5 | 62.4 | -3.9 | 3,083,000 |
Texas |
57.9 | 61.7 | -3.8 | 12,915,000 |
New Jersey |
57.3 | 61.7 | -4.4 | 4,055,000 |
Maine |
57.2 | 60.9 | -3.7 | 640,000 |
Georgia |
57.1 | 60.5 | -3.4 | 4,741,000 |
Ohio |
57.1 | 60.6 | -3.5 | 5,285,000 |
Illinois |
56.8 | 61.9 | -5.1 | 5,658,000 |
Oklahoma |
56.8 | 59.0 | -2.2 | 1,735,000 |
Rhode Island |
56.8 | 62.4 | -5.6 | 491,000 |
Delaware |
56.5 | 60.2 | -3.7 | 446,000 |
Oregon |
56.5 | 59.5 | -3.0 | 1,945,000 |
Pennsylvania |
56.5 | 60.4 | -3.9 | 5,808,000 |
Arizona |
56.1 | 58.8 | -2.7 | 3,288,000 |
Tennessee |
56.0 | 59.8 | -3.8 | 3,044,000 |
North Carolina |
54.9 | 59.2 | -4.3 | 4,587,000 |
Michigan |
54.6 | 59.4 | -4.8 | 4,363,000 |
California |
54.4 | 59.8 | -5.4 | 16,913,000 |
South Carolina |
54.2 | 56.6 | -2.4 | 2,237,000 |
Alabama |
54.1 | 56.1 | -2.0 | 2,099,000 |
Arkansas |
53.9 | 56.2 | -2.3 | 1,272,000 |
Kentucky |
53.8 | 56.7 | -2.9 | 1,886,000 |
Nevada |
53.8 | 61.9 | -8.1 | 1,334,000 |
New York |
53.7 | 58.4 | -4.7 | 8,361,000 |
Louisiana |
53.2 | 56.4 | -3.2 | 1,905,000 |
Florida |
52.9 | 57.4 | -4.5 | 9,333,000 |
Hawaii |
52.7 | 59.8 | -7.1 | 573,000 |
New Mexico |
52.3 | 55.5 | -3.2 | 864,000 |
Mississippi |
50.6 | 52.9 | -2.3 | 1,158,000 |
West Virginia |
50.3 | 52.4 | -2.1 | 726,000 |
West Virginia and Mississippi had the lowest proportions of employed people among the states, 50.3 percent and 50.6 percent, respectively. Nebraska had the highest employment–population ratio, at 66.7 percent. Fifteen states registered their lowest employment–population ratios since the data series began in 1976.
The national employment–population ratio fell by 4.0 percentage points to 56.8 percent in 2020. Overall, 23 states and the District of Columbia had employment–population ratios higher than the U.S. ratio of 56.8 percent, 15 states had lower ratios, and 12 states had ratios that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. To learn more, see “Regional and State Unemployment – 2020 Annual Averages.” The employment–population ratio is the proportion of the civilian population age 16 years and older who are employed. The deterioration in the labor market in 2020 reflected the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment–population ratios decreased in all 50 states and the District in 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/employment-population-ratios-decreased-in-all-50-states-and-the-district-in-2020.htm (visited October 11, 2024).