Number of Unemployed People by State 2025
Key Findings
🏆
California leads in Unemployed People (thousands) with 1,085.30 in 2025.
📊
Average Unemployed People (thousands) in 2025: 251 · median: 178.
↔️
Gap in 2025: California is 11.2× larger than Kentucky.
About This Dataset
Number of Unemployed People by State 2025
What this chart shows. The 25 states with the most unemployed people in 2025, as an annual average in thousands. California had 1,085 thousand, followed by Texas with 665 thousand and Florida with 437 thousand. Across all states, about 7.3 million people were unemployed on average.
How the data is collected. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Local Area Unemployment Statistics program, which estimates state figures with statistical models that combine its national household survey, payroll data and unemployment insurance claims. People count as unemployed if they had no job, were available to work and had looked for work in the previous four weeks.
Background. California alone had more unemployed people than Florida and New York combined. The number of unemployed in California rose from 1,042 thousand in 2024.
Limits. Big states top this chart simply because they have more people; the unemployment rate chart is better for comparing how hard it is to find work. BLS did not publish October 2025 state figures because of the lapse in federal appropriations that autumn.
How the data is collected. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Local Area Unemployment Statistics program, which estimates state figures with statistical models that combine its national household survey, payroll data and unemployment insurance claims. People count as unemployed if they had no job, were available to work and had looked for work in the previous four weeks.
Background. California alone had more unemployed people than Florida and New York combined. The number of unemployed in California rose from 1,042 thousand in 2024.
Limits. Big states top this chart simply because they have more people; the unemployment rate chart is better for comparing how hard it is to find work. BLS did not publish October 2025 state figures because of the lapse in federal appropriations that autumn.
Analysis
Michigan had 260 thousand unemployed people, more than Georgia or North Carolina, both of which have larger labour forces.
Data Insights
Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart
Methodology & source
- Data source
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS and CES annual averages)
- Coverage
- 25 entities · 2025 · 25 observations
- Measure
- Unemployed People (thousands)
- Last updated
- 29 September 2026
- Compiled by
- The ANYSTAT team, from the source above
How the figures are calculated
- Values use the measure and unit named on this page. Consult the dataset description and cited source for coverage, definitions and any unit conversions. Displayed values may be rounded for readability.
- Entities are ranked highest-first on their value in 2025.
An article using this data
US Unemployment Rose in 41 of 50 States in 2025: California Highest, South Dakota Lowest
BLS data for 2025: the US unemployment rate averaged 4.3%, up from 4.0%. California had the highest state rate, 5.5%, South Dakota the lowest, 2.1%, and Idaho g...
Data Sources & References
All external sources cited in this dataset
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How these states rank across all our charts
Each state's page lists its position in every state-by-state chart on ANYSTAT.
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