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Annual average unemployment rates increased in 21 states in 2024
March 07, 2025
In 2024, annual average unemployment rates increased in 21 states and were little changed in 29 states and the District of Columbia. Employment–population ratios decreased in 5 states and were little changed in 45 states and the District. The U.S. jobless rate increased by 0.4 percentage point from the prior year to 4.0 percent, while the national employment–population ratio fell by 0.2 percentage point to 60.1 percent.
Unemployment rates by state, 2023–24 annual averages
State
2023
2024
Alabama
2.5
3.1
Alaska
4.2
4.6
Arizona
3.7
3.6
Arkansas
3.1
3.5
California
4.7
5.3
Colorado
3.3
4.3
Connecticut
3.2
3.2
Delaware
3.8
3.7
District of Columbia
4.8
5.2
Florida
3.0
3.4
Georgia
3.3
3.5
Hawaii
2.9
3.0
Idaho
3.2
3.7
Illinois
4.5
5.0
Indiana
3.4
4.2
Iowa
2.9
3.0
Kansas
2.9
3.6
Kentucky
4.3
5.1
Louisiana
3.7
4.4
Maine
2.6
3.1
Maryland
2.2
3.0
Massachusetts
3.5
4.0
Michigan
3.9
4.7
Minnesota
2.8
3.0
Mississippi
3.1
3.2
Missouri
3.1
3.7
Montana
2.7
3.0
Nebraska
2.3
2.8
Nevada
5.2
5.6
New Hampshire
2.3
2.6
New Jersey
4.3
4.5
New Mexico
3.7
4.1
New York
4.1
4.3
North Carolina
3.5
3.6
North Dakota
2.0
2.4
Ohio
3.7
4.3
Oklahoma
3.2
3.3
Oregon
3.8
4.2
Pennsylvania
3.7
3.6
Rhode Island
3.0
4.3
South Carolina
3.0
4.1
South Dakota
1.8
1.8
Tennessee
3.2
3.4
Texas
4.0
4.1
Utah
2.7
3.2
Vermont
1.9
2.3
Virginia
2.7
2.9
Washington
4.2
4.5
West Virginia
3.9
4.1
Wisconsin
2.8
3.0
Wyoming
2.9
3.2
Note: Data were subject to revision on March 5, 2025
South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate among the states in 2024, 1.8 percent. Nevada had the highest unemployment rate, 5.6 percent. Overall, 24 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.0 percent, 5 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 21 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
The unemployment rate increased in 21 states in 2024, the largest of which were in Rhode Island (+1.3 percentage points), South Carolina (+1.1 percentage points), and Colorado (+1.0 percentage point). The remaining 29 states and the District of Columbia had annual average jobless rates in 2024 that were not appreciably different from those of the previous year.
Employment–population ratios by state, 2023–24 annual averages
State
2023
2024
Alabama
55.6
55.7
Alaska
62.0
61.6
Arizona
59.5
59.3
Arkansas
56.0
56.2
California
59.2
58.8
Colorado
65.9
65.1
Connecticut
62.4
62.8
Delaware
58.3
57.4
District of Columbia
68.6
68.6
Florida
57.4
56.5
Georgia
59.8
59.5
Hawaii
58.3
58.1
Idaho
61.6
61.6
Illinois
61.5
61.8
Indiana
61.1
60.9
Iowa
65.6
64.9
Kansas
65.0
64.7
Kentucky
55.2
55.2
Louisiana
56.2
55.7
Maine
57.9
58.3
Maryland
63.6
63.4
Massachusetts
63.1
63.6
Michigan
59.1
58.9
Minnesota
66.4
66.1
Mississippi
52.8
53.5
Missouri
61.2
61.0
Montana
61.5
61.2
Nebraska
67.5
67.0
Nevada
59.5
59.3
New Hampshire
63.8
63.9
New Jersey
62.1
61.4
New Mexico
55.2
55.3
New York
58.5
58.3
North Carolina
59.0
58.1
North Dakota
67.8
67.7
Ohio
59.7
59.7
Oklahoma
60.6
60.7
Oregon
60.1
60.0
Pennsylvania
60.1
59.8
Rhode Island
61.7
61.6
South Carolina
56.0
55.5
South Dakota
67.3
67.4
Tennessee
57.8
57.5
Texas
62.1
62.3
Utah
67.4
66.7
Vermont
63.2
63.8
Virginia
64.5
64.0
Washington
61.4
60.6
West Virginia
52.8
52.6
Wisconsin
64.0
64.0
Wyoming
62.2
61.4
Note: Data were subject to revision on March 5, 2025
The District of Columbia had the highest proportion of employed people in 2024, 68.6 percent. The next highest ratios were in North Dakota, 67.7 percent, and South Dakota, 67.4 percent. Mississippi and West Virginia had the lowest employment–population ratios among the states, 53.5 percent and 52.6 percent, respectively. Overall, 19 states and the District had employment–population ratios higher than the U.S. ratio of 60.1 percent, 17 states had lower ratios, and 14 states had ratios that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
Five states had employment–population ratio decreases in 2024: Florida and North Carolina (−0.9 percentage point each), Washington and Wyoming (−0.8 percentage point each), and California, (−0.4 percentage point). The remaining 45 states and the District of Columbia had ratios that were not notably different from those of the previous year.
United States Department of Labor
