The US unemployment rate averaged 4.3 per cent in 2025, up from 4.0 per cent in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it rose in 41 of the 50 states and in the District of Columbia. Payroll jobs still grew 0.48 per cent nationally, but 15 of the 51 ended the year with fewer jobs on average than in 2024. Five new charts show the picture state by state.
Where unemployment was highest and lowest
The District of Columbia had the highest rate at 6.3 per cent, and California the highest of any state at 5.5 per cent, as the unemployment rate chart shows. South Dakota had the lowest at 2.1 per cent. Because California is so large, it also tops the number of unemployed chart with 1,085 thousand people out of work, more than Florida and New York combined.
Where it rose
The rise in unemployment chart is led by the District of Columbia, up 1.0 points, followed by Oregon and Delaware, both up 0.9. Only 7 states saw their rate fall, with Illinois and Hawaii down the most, 0.4 points each; Nevada's rate fell too but stayed the third-highest.
Jobs and participation
Idaho grew jobs fastest, 1.53 per cent, ahead of Utah and South Carolina, in the job growth chart. Texas added the most jobs in total, about 150 thousand. The District of Columbia lost the largest share of its jobs, 2.50 per cent. In the labor force participation chart, the District of Columbia and Nebraska had the highest shares of adults working or looking for work, and West Virginia the lowest, 54.5 per cent.
| Chart | Top | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate by State 2025 | District of Columbia | 6.3% |
| Rise in Unemployment Rate by State 2025 | District of Columbia | 1.0 pts |
| Labor Force Participation Rate by State 2025 | District of Columbia | 72.2% |
| Job Growth by State 2025 | Idaho | 1.53% |
| Number of Unemployed People by State 2025 | California | 1,085k |
About the data
Unemployment and participation come from BLS's Local Area Unemployment Statistics, and jobs from its Current Employment Statistics survey of employers, all as 2025 annual averages that are not seasonally adjusted. BLS did not publish October 2025 state unemployment figures because of the lapse in federal funding. As a check, the state estimates add up to an unemployment rate of 4.28 per cent, matching the national survey's 4.3. For another state-by-state ranking, see where electricity prices rose in 2025.