Unemployment spans 2.0% in South Dakota to 5.7% in DC, around a 4.1% national rate
Asked:"Unemployment rate by state" — the latest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for each of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, with the highest and lowest states.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for all 50 states and the District of Columbia — 51 of 51 jurisdictions — for August 2026, from the BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics tables released September 18, 2026. The US rate was 4.1%, unchanged from July.
South Dakota (2.0%), North Dakota (2.2%) and Vermont (2.6%) hold the lowest rates; the Dakotas and northern New England anchor the bottom of the ranking. bls.gov
DC is highest at 5.7%; among states, California, Connecticut and Oregon top the list at 5.1%, with Michigan next at 5.0% — the West Coast and Connecticut sit at the top. bls.gov
From July, rates fell in 8 states and DC — Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Pennsylvania and DC by 0.2 point; Florida, Maryland, Virginia and Washington by 0.1 — and were stable in the other 42 states. bls.gov
From August 2025, 14 states and DC fell, led by New Jersey (−1.2 points) and Ohio (−1.1); 10 states rose, most in Connecticut (+1.0) and Oklahoma (+0.9). bls.gov
All 51 jurisdictions, ranked lowest first
Rank
State
Rate (%)
Source
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate by state, August 2026 (released 2026-09-18). 51 rows: 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Ranks are BLS ranks; ties share a rank. The next monthly release will update these figures.