Unemployment Rate by State

Unemployment is a key economic indicator that measures the percentage of people who are without jobs. A high unemployment rate can lead to many negative effects, including an increased need for public assistance and a drop in consumer spending. This can have a snowball effect, leading to even more job losses and ultimately reducing the economy’s overall output. The state unemployment rate is determined by dividing the number of unemployed people by the total labor force. The labor force includes all people 16 years of age and older who are either working or actively looking for work. The unemployment rate is measured on a monthly basis and is not seasonally adjusted.

Data for states, counties, and cities are produced by BLS through the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program and nonfarm payroll employment data for state and industry supersector levels from the Current Employment Survey (CES). Data for the individual states and metropolitan areas are compiled using model estimates that incorporate information from several sources, including the CPS and other administrative data.

The models used to produce state unemployment rates take into account information from the CPS, which interviews a sample of households on a monthly basis. The model also uses data from other sources, such as business establishment surveys and unemployment insurance claims. The model-based estimates are controlled in real-time to sum to national unemployment rate and labor force estimates from the CPS, so they tend to be highly consistent between states and regions.

BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics