The .gov means it's official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information,
make sure you're on a federal government site.
The site is secure. The
https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any
information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
Unemployment rates significantly lower than national rate in 15 states in October 2019
November 27, 2019
In October 2019, 15 states had unemployment rates that were lower than the U.S. rate of 3.6 percent. Vermont had the lowest unemployment rate in October 2019, 2.2 percent. North Dakota and Utah both had unemployment rates of 2.5 percent, while Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Virginia each had unemployment rates of 2.6 percent in October. Six other states had rates that were 3.0 percent or lower.
States with unemployment rates significantly different from the U.S. unemployment rate, October 2019, seasonally adjusted
State
Unemployment rate
Alaska
6.2%
Mississippi
5.5
District of Columbia
5.4
Arizona
4.8
New Mexico
4.8
West Virginia
4.8
Louisiana
4.5
Washington
4.5
Kentucky
4.3
Ohio
4.2
Pennsylvania
4.2
New York
4.0
California
3.9
United States
3.6
Nebraska
3.1
South Dakota
3.0
Idaho
2.9
Massachusetts
2.9
Alabama
2.8
Maine
2.8
Hawaii
2.7
Colorado
2.6
Iowa
2.6
New Hampshire
2.6
South Carolina
2.6
Virginia
2.6
North Dakota
2.5
Utah
2.5
Vermont
2.2
Note: State data for the most recent month are preliminary.
Unemployment rates in Alabama (2.8 percent), California (3.9 percent), Maine (2.8 percent), and South Carolina (2.6 percent) set new series lows. (All state unemployment data series begin in 1976.)
Unemployment rates were higher than the national rate in 12 states and the District of Columbia. Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.2 percent. Unemployment rates were also above 5.0 percent in Mississippi and the District of Columbia. Arizona, New Mexico, and West Virginia all had unemployment rates of 4.8 percent in October.
United States Department of Labor
