See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.
Use This Visualization
Mapped: America’s Unemployment Divide
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- Washington, D.C. posted America’s highest unemployment rate at 6.2%, nearly triple South Dakota’s 2.2% rate.
- West Coast states including California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington recorded some of the weakest labor markets nationwide.
- The gap between the highest- and lowest-unemployment states is widening as regional economies increasingly move in different directions.
America’s labor market is becoming increasingly divided by geography.
This map uses April 2026 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to show unemployment rates across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
While many Midwest and Plains states continue to face worker shortages and tight labor conditions, several coastal economies are seeing weaker hiring demand tied to tech layoffs, slowing tourism, and softer business investment.
The result is a widening gap between America’s strongest and weakest job markets.
Unemployment Rates by State in 2026
America’s unemployment rate stood at 4.3% in April 2026, still low by historical standards but steadily above the 3.4% multi-decade low recorded three years earlier.
National figures, however, increasingly mask major regional differences. In some states, unemployment remains near historic lows, while others are seeing noticeably weaker hiring conditions.
The following table shows unemployment rates across America.
| State | Unemployment Rate April 2026 |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 6.2% |
| California | 5.3% |
| Delaware | 5.3% |
| Nevada | 5.3% |
| Oregon | 5.2% |
| Washington | 5.2% |
| Illinois | 5.1% |
| Connecticut | 5.0% |
| Michigan | 5.0% |
| New Mexico | 4.9% |
| Florida | 4.8% |
| New Jersey | 4.8% |
| South Carolina | 4.8% |
| Alaska | 4.7% |
| Arizona | 4.7% |
| Massachusetts | 4.7% |
| New York | 4.6% |
| Minnesota | 4.5% |
| Rhode Island | 4.5% |
| Louisiana | 4.4% |
| Maryland | 4.4% |
| West Virginia | 4.4% |
| Arkansas | 4.3% |
| Kentucky | 4.3% |
| Texas | 4.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 4.2% |
| Oklahoma | 4.0% |
| Colorado | 3.9% |
| Kansas | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 3.9% |
| Mississippi | 3.8% |
| Missouri | 3.8% |
| Utah | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 3.7% |
| Idaho | 3.6% |
| Tennessee | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 3.5% |
| Montana | 3.5% |
| Wisconsin | 3.5% |
| Wyoming | 3.5% |
| Iowa | 3.3% |
| Indiana | 3.2% |
| Maine | 3.1% |
| New Hampshire | 3.1% |
| Nebraska | 3.0% |
| Alabama | 2.8% |
| Vermont | 2.6% |
| Hawaii | 2.5% |
| North Dakota | 2.4% |
| South Dakota | 2.2% |
Washington, D.C. recorded the nation’s highest unemployment rate at 6.2% in April 2026. California, Delaware, and Nevada followed at 5.3%.
At the other end of the spectrum, South Dakota posted America’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.2%, followed by North Dakota at 2.4%. The nearly threefold gap between the strongest and weakest labor markets highlights how widely employment conditions now vary across the country.
Why West Coast Job Markets Are Cooling
The tech-heavy West Coast continues to face some of the highest unemployment rates.
After years of rapid pandemic-era hiring, many technology companies have shifted toward cost-cutting and efficiency measures. Overall, the technology sector leads all industries in announced job cuts, with more than 84,000 layoffs recorded year-to-date, up 33% from the same period last year.
Nevada also remained among the weakest labor markets nationwide as tourism activity slowed sharply. Compounding the slowdown, Canadian visitors to Las Vegas plunged 56% between April 2025 and March 2026 compared with the previous 12-month period.
The States With the Lowest Unemployment
In contrast, several Midwest and Plains states continued to maintain exceptionally low unemployment.
South Dakota, North Dakota, Alabama, and Nebraska all posted unemployment rates of 3% or lower. Many of these states have smaller labor forces and economies supported by agriculture and energy production.
Manufacturing-heavy states also showed resilience. Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa all remained below the national unemployment average despite broader concerns over trade policy and slowing economic growth.
Taken together, the data suggests America’s labor market is fragmenting into distinct regional economies. States tied to technology and tourism are seeing softer demand, while much of the Midwest and Plains continue to operate near full employment.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the best degrees for finding a job.