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In September 2024, the District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate, 5.7 percent, followed by Nevada, 5.6 percent. South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate, 2.0 percent, followed by Vermont, 2.2 percent, and North Dakota, 2.3 percent.
State | September 2024 unemployment rate (percent) | September 2023 unemployment rate (percent) | 12-month change (percentage points) |
---|---|---|---|
Alabama |
2.9 | 2.7 | 0.2 |
Alaska |
4.6 | 4.5 | 0.1 |
Arizona |
3.5 | 4.2 | -0.7 |
Arkansas |
3.3 | 3.6 | -0.3 |
California |
5.3 | 5.0 | 0.3 |
Colorado |
4.0 | 3.3 | 0.7 |
Connecticut |
3.2 | 4.0 | -0.8 |
Delaware |
4.2 | 4.1 | 0.1 |
District of Columbia |
5.7 | 4.9 | 0.8 |
Florida |
3.3 | 3.0 | 0.3 |
Georgia |
3.6 | 3.2 | 0.4 |
Hawaii |
2.9 | 3.0 | -0.1 |
Idaho |
3.6 | 3.3 | 0.3 |
Illinois |
5.3 | 4.7 | 0.6 |
Indiana |
4.3 | 3.5 | 0.8 |
Iowa |
2.9 | 3.1 | -0.2 |
Kansas |
3.3 | 2.6 | 0.7 |
Kentucky |
4.9 | 4.3 | 0.6 |
Louisiana |
3.9 | 3.8 | 0.1 |
Maine |
2.8 | 3.2 | -0.4 |
Maryland |
2.9 | 2.2 | 0.7 |
Massachusetts |
3.8 | 3.3 | 0.5 |
Michigan |
4.5 | 4.1 | 0.4 |
Minnesota |
3.4 | 2.8 | 0.6 |
Mississippi |
2.8 | 3.2 | -0.4 |
Missouri |
3.9 | 3.3 | 0.6 |
Montana |
3.3 | 3.2 | 0.1 |
Nebraska |
2.7 | 2.5 | 0.2 |
Nevada |
5.6 | 5.2 | 0.4 |
New Hampshire |
2.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 |
New Jersey |
4.7 | 4.8 | -0.1 |
New Mexico |
4.2 | 3.9 | 0.3 |
New York |
4.4 | 4.4 | 0.0 |
North Carolina |
3.8 | 3.6 | 0.2 |
North Dakota |
2.3 | 1.9 | 0.4 |
Ohio |
4.5 | 3.6 | 0.9 |
Oklahoma |
3.4 | 3.5 | -0.1 |
Oregon |
4.0 | 3.9 | 0.1 |
Pennsylvania |
3.4 | 3.3 | 0.1 |
Rhode Island |
4.6 | 3.2 | 1.4 |
South Carolina |
4.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 |
South Dakota |
2.0 | 2.1 | -0.1 |
Tennessee |
3.2 | 3.4 | -0.2 |
Texas |
4.1 | 3.9 | 0.2 |
Utah |
3.5 | 2.8 | 0.7 |
Vermont |
2.2 | 2.2 | 0.0 |
Virginia |
2.9 | 2.9 | 0.0 |
Washington |
4.8 | 4.3 | 0.5 |
West Virginia |
4.2 | 4.3 | -0.1 |
Wisconsin |
2.9 | 3.4 | -0.5 |
Wyoming |
3.1 | 2.9 | 0.2 |
In total, 23 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.1 percent, 4 states and the District had higher rates, and 23 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
From September 2023 to September 2024, 22 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate increases, the largest of which were in South Carolina (+1.5 percentage points) and Rhode Island (+1.4 points).
Six states had over-the-year rate decreases, the largest of which were in Connecticut (−0.8 percentage point) and Arizona (−0.7 point). Twenty-two states had jobless rates that were not notably different from those of a year earlier, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes.
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 — September 2024." We also have more charts and maps related to state employment and unemployment.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Unemployment rate at 5.7 percent in the District of Columbia in September 2024 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/unemployment-rate-at-5-7-percent-in-the-district-of-columbia-in-september-2024.htm (visited November 14, 2024).