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Unemployment Rates

The U.S. rate was 4.2% in Sep 2026. State rates range from 2.0% in South Dakota to 5.6% in District of Columbia.

U.S. unemployment rate
4.2%
Sep 2026
Change in a year
-0.2 pts
Highest state
5.6%
District of Columbia
Lowest state
2.0%
South Dakota

U.S. unemployment rate

Monthly, seasonally adjusted (Current Population Survey)

Show as a table
PeriodUnited States
Sep 20264.2%
Dec 20254.4%
Dec 20244.1%
Dec 20233.8%
Dec 20223.5%
Dec 20213.9%
Dec 20206.7%
Dec 20193.6%
Dec 20183.9%
Dec 20174.1%
Dec 20164.7%
Dec 20155.0%
Dec 20145.6%
Dec 20136.7%
Dec 20127.9%

Unemployment rate by state

Darker states have higher unemployment

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States ranked by unemployment rate

Sep 2026, seasonally adjusted

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#StateRate1-year change
1District of Columbia5.6%-1.0 pts
2California5.1%-0.4 pts
3Connecticut5.1%+0.9 pts
4Michigan5.0%+0.1 pts
5Oregon5.0%-0.3 pts
6Arizona4.9%+0.5 pts
7Washington4.8%+0.1 pts
8Kentucky4.7%+0.2 pts
9Nevada4.7%-0.5 pts
10New Mexico4.7%+0.5 pts
11Delaware4.6%-0.6 pts
12Illinois4.6%+0.1 pts
13Minnesota4.5%+0.4 pts
14Florida4.4%+0.2 pts
15Texas4.4%+0.1 pts
16Alaska4.3%-0.4 pts
17Massachusetts4.3%-0.3 pts
18New York4.3%-0.3 pts
19New Jersey4.2%-1.3 pts
20Oklahoma4.2%+0.6 pts
21Colorado4.1%+0.3 pts
22Louisiana4.0%-0.2 pts
23South Carolina4.0%-0.7 pts
24West Virginia4.0%-0.5 pts
25Arkansas3.9%-0.3 pts
26Maryland3.9%-0.4 pts
27Kansas3.8%0.0 pts
28Idaho3.6%0.0 pts
29Missouri3.6%-0.3 pts
30Pennsylvania3.6%-0.8 pts
31Rhode Island3.6%-0.7 pts
32Virginia3.6%+0.2 pts
33Alabama3.5%+0.7 pts
34Utah3.5%-0.1 pts
35Indiana3.4%-0.3 pts
36North Carolina3.4%-0.5 pts
37Ohio3.4%-0.9 pts
38Tennessee3.4%-0.1 pts
39Georgia3.3%-0.1 pts
40Maine3.3%0.0 pts
41Mississippi3.3%-0.4 pts
42Iowa3.2%-0.2 pts
43Wisconsin3.2%+0.1 pts
44Montana3.1%-0.4 pts
45Wyoming3.0%-0.4 pts
46Nebraska2.9%0.0 pts
47Hawaii2.8%+0.7 pts
48New Hampshire2.6%-0.6 pts
49Vermont2.6%0.0 pts
50North Dakota2.2%-0.4 pts
51South Dakota2.0%-0.1 pts

Highest metro area unemployment

Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted

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#Metro areaRate1-year change
1El Centro, CA21.9%-0.1 pts
2Yuma, AZ19.0%0.0 pts
3Guayama, PR11.2%+2.0 pts
4Visalia, CA10.4%-0.2 pts
5Ponce, PR9.6%0.0 pts
6Mayagüez, PR9.0%-0.9 pts
7Merced, CA8.9%-0.5 pts
8Hanford-Corcoran, CA8.5%-0.1 pts
9Bakersfield-Delano, CA8.4%-0.3 pts
10Wildwood-The Villages, FL7.9%+0.8 pts
11Fresno, CA7.8%-0.1 pts
12Aguadilla, PR7.5%-0.2 pts
13Vineland, NJ7.4%-1.7 pts
14Grants Pass, OR7.2%-0.5 pts
15Yuba City, CA7.1%-0.3 pts
16Eagle Pass, TX7.1%-1.5 pts
17Modesto, CA7.0%-0.1 pts
18Arecibo, PR7.0%0.0 pts
19Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ6.9%+1.5 pts
20Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ6.8%+1.1 pts

Highest county unemployment

Counties with a labor force of at least 10,000, not seasonally adjusted

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#CountyRate1-year changeLabor force
1Imperial County, CA21.9%-0.1 pts76,269
2Yuma County, AZ19.0%0.0 pts103,136
3Dawson County, NE16.4%+13.7 pts11,897
4Guayama Municipio, PR12.0%+2.8 pts10,642
5Luna County, NM11.4%+1.4 pts10,127
6San Lorenzo Municipio, PR11.4%+1.0 pts14,725
7Añasco Municipio, PR11.2%+4.4 pts11,107
8Ponce Municipio, PR10.5%+0.7 pts43,537
9Tulare County, CA10.4%-0.2 pts215,947
10Yauco Municipio, PR10.3%-0.2 pts11,916
11Morovis Municipio, PR9.7%+1.9 pts10,951
12Mayagüez Municipio, PR9.6%-0.9 pts22,893
13Colusa County, CA9.4%-0.1 pts11,804
14Starr County, TX9.4%-0.3 pts25,714
15Naranjito Municipio, PR9.4%+1.3 pts10,165
16Aguadilla Municipio, PR9.1%-0.2 pts18,876
17Santa Cruz County, AZ9.0%-0.1 pts21,962
18Humacao Municipio, PR9.0%+1.1 pts18,516
19Merced County, CA8.9%-0.5 pts121,939
20Apache County, AZ8.8%+0.5 pts19,661
21Kings County, CA8.5%-0.1 pts59,867
22Kern County, CA8.4%-0.3 pts414,048
23Lares Municipio, PR8.4%+0.1 pts10,121
24Coamo Municipio, PR8.2%0.0 pts13,330
25Sumter County, FL7.9%+0.8 pts35,343

Lowest county unemployment

Counties with a labor force of at least 10,000

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#CountyRate1-year changeLabor force
1Medina County, OH1.5%-1.5 pts101,036
2Geauga County, OH1.5%-1.5 pts50,041
3Lake County, OH1.6%-1.6 pts126,443
4Ashtabula County, OH1.7%-2.0 pts44,466
5Teton County, WY1.8%+0.3 pts18,331
6Davison County, SD1.8%-0.1 pts10,825
7Codington County, SD1.8%-0.2 pts16,552
8Lorain County, OH1.8%-1.9 pts158,123
9Yankton County, SD1.9%-0.1 pts12,055
10Lawrence County, SD1.9%-0.3 pts15,924
11Cuyahoga County, OH1.9%-1.9 pts628,553
12Stutsman County, ND1.9%-0.3 pts11,287
13Grand Forks County, ND1.9%-0.3 pts40,971
14Burleigh County, ND1.9%-0.3 pts54,064
15Miami-Dade County, FL1.9%-1.0 pts1,452,691

Frequently asked questions

How is the unemployment rate measured?
The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force that is jobless, available to work and actively looking. BLS estimates state, metro and county rates each month in the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program.
Why are county rates not seasonally adjusted?
BLS publishes metro area and county rates without seasonal adjustment, so they move with seasonal hiring such as farm work, tourism and the school year. Compare a county with the same month a year earlier.