South Dakota unemployment rate 1.9 percent in November 2024

In November 2024, South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate, 1.9 percent. Eight other states (North Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Connecticut, and Virginia) also had unemployment rates that were 3.0 percent or lower.

Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.7 percent, followed by the District of Columbia, 5.6 percent. Three other states (Kentucky, Illinois, and California) also had unemployment rates above 5.0 percent in November.

In total, 26 states had unemployment rates lower than the national rate of 4.2 percent, 3 states and the District had higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

Twenty-five states and the District had unemployment rate increases from November 2023 to November 2024, the largest of which was in South Carolina (+1.8 percentage points). Six states had over-the-year rate decreases, the largest of which was in Connecticut (−1.2 percentage points).

These data are from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "State Employment and Unemployment — November 2024." Also see more charts and maps of employment and unemployment data.