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Minnesota had the lowest jobless rate in September 2022

November 01, 2022

Minnesota had the lowest jobless rate in September 2022 at 2.0 percent. The next lowest rates were in Vermont and Utah, 2.1 percent each. The rate in Louisiana, 3.4 percent, set a new low (all state unemployment data begin in 1976). The District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate, 4.7 percent, followed by Illinois, 4.5 percent. In total, 28 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.5 percent, 21 states and the District had higher rates, and 2 states had rates that were equal to that of the nation.
State unemployment rates, September 2022
State September 2022 unemployment rate September 2021 unemployment rate 12-month change

Alabama

 2.6% 3.2% -0.6 percentage point(s)

Alaska

 4.4% 5.9% -1.5 percentage point(s)

Arizona

 3.7% 4.2% -0.5 percentage point(s)

Arkansas

 3.5% 3.5% 0.0 percentage point(s)

California

 3.9% 6.4% -2.5 percentage point(s)

Colorado

 3.4% 4.7% -1.3 percentage point(s)

Connecticut

 4.0% 5.6% -1.6 percentage point(s)

Delaware

 4.3% 5.0% -0.7 percentage point(s)

District of Columbia

 4.7% 6.5% -1.8 percentage point(s)

Florida

 2.5% 3.9% -1.4 percentage point(s)

Georgia

 2.8% 3.5% -0.7 percentage point(s)

Hawaii

 3.5% 4.8% -1.3 percentage point(s)

Idaho

 2.8% 3.4% -0.6 percentage point(s)

Illinois

 4.5% 5.5% 1.0 percentage point(s)

Indiana

 2.8% 3.1% -0.3 percentage point(s)

Iowa

 2.7% 4.1% -1.4 percentage point(s)

Kansas

 2.6% 3.0% -0.4 percentage point(s)

Kentucky

 3.8% 4.7% -0.9 percentage point(s)

Louisiana

 3.4% 4.8% -1.4 percentage point(s)

Maine

 3.3% 4.5% -1.2 percentage point(s)

Maryland

 4.0% 5.8% -1.8 percentage point(s)

Massachusetts

 3.4% 5.1% -1.7 percentage point(s)

Michigan

 4.1% 5.7% -1.6 percentage point(s)

Minnesota

 2.0% 3.2% -1.2 percentage point(s)

Mississippi

 3.6% 5.0% -1.4 percentage point(s)

Missouri

 2.4% 4.0% -1.6 percentage point(s)

Montana

 2.9% 3.2% -0.3 percentage point(s)

Nebraska

 2.2% 2.5% -0.3 percentage point(s)

Nevada

 4.4% 5.6% -1.2 percentage point(s)

New Hampshire

 2.2% 3.2% 1.0 percentage point(s)

New Jersey

 3.3% 5.8% -2.5 percentage point(s)

New Mexico

 4.2% 6.2% -2.0 percentage point(s)

New York

 4.3% 6.0% -1.7 percentage point(s)

North Carolina

 3.6% 4.5% -0.9 percentage point(s)

North Dakota

 2.2% 3.2% -1.0 percentage point(s)

Ohio

 4.0% 4.7% -0.7 percentage point(s)

Oklahoma

 3.2% 3.2% 0.0 percentage point(s)

Oregon

 4.0% 4.5% -0.7 percentage point(s)

Pennsylvania

 4.1% 5.8% -1.7 percentage point(s)

Rhode Island

 3.1% 5.4% -2.3 percentage point(s)

South Carolina

 3.2% 3.8% -0.6 percentage point(s)

South Dakota

 2.3% 3.1% -0.8 percentage point(s)

Tennessee

 3.4% 3.8% -0.4 percentage point(s)

Texas

 4.0% 5.1% -1.1 percentage point(s)

Utah

 2.1% 2.5% -0.4 percentage point(s)

Vermont

 2.1% 3.2% -1.1 percentage point(s)

Virginia

 2.6% 3.4% -0.8 percentage point(s)

Washington

 3.7% 4.8% -1.1 percentage point(s)

West Virginia

 4.0% 4.6% -0.6 percentage point(s)

Wisconsin

 3.2% 3.4% -0.2 percentage point(s)

Wyoming

 3.3% 4.2% -0.9 percentage point(s)

All 50 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases from September 2021 to September 2022. The largest unemployment rate decreases occurred in California and New Jersey (−2.5 percentage points) and Rhode Island (−2.3 points). The smallest over-the-year jobless rate declines occurred in Wisconsin (−0.2 points), and Nebraska, Montana, and Indiana (−0.3 percentage point each). Unemployment rates in Arkansas and Oklahoma were unchanged over the year.

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. To learn more, see "State Employment and Unemployment — September 2022.” We also have more charts and maps on state employment and unemployment. Estimates for the most recent month are preliminary.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Minnesota had the lowest jobless rate in September 2022 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2022/minnesota-had-the-lowest-jobless-rate-in-september-2022.htm (visited April 26, 2024).

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