For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, March 2, 2022 USDL-22-0342

Technical information: (202) 691-6392 • lausinfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/lau 

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

REGIONAL AND STATE UNEMPLOYMENT — 2021 ANNUAL AVERAGES

In 2021, annual average unemployment rates decreased in 49 states and the District of Columbia, while 

the rate was little changed in 1 state, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employmentpopulation ratios increased in 38 states and the District, decreased in 1 state, and were little changed in 

11 states. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 2.8 percentage points from the prior year to 5.3 percent, 

while the national employment-population ratio rose by 1.6 points to 58.4 percent.

Regional Unemployment

Unemployment rates decreased from 2020 in all four regions: the Northeast (-2.9 percentage points), the 

Midwest and West (-2.8 points each), and the South (-2.4 points). The Midwest, 4.7 percent, and South, 

4.8 percent, registered jobless rates lower than the U.S. rate in 2021, while the Northeast and West, 6.3 

percent and 6.2 percent, respectively, had rates higher than the national figure. (See table 1.)

All nine geographic divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate decreases in 2021, with the largest 

of these occurring in the East North Central and Pacific (-3.4 percentage points and -3.0 points, 

respectively). The smallest rate decreases were in the West North Central (-2.0 percentage points) and 

West South Central (-2.1 points). The West North Central had the lowest jobless rate, 3.7 percent. The

East South Central, Mountain, and South Atlantic divisions also had rates below the national figure. The 

highest jobless rates among the divisions were in the Pacific and Middle Atlantic, 6.8 percent and 6.6 

percent, respectively.

Changes to Local Area Unemployment Statistics Data

Effective with this news release, data for regions, divisions, states, the District of Columbia, and 

modeled substate areas have been re-estimated from 2017 through 2021. The annual average data shown 

in tables 1 and 2 were affected, as were monthly seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted data. 

Information on these data revisions is available at www.bls.gov/lau/important-information-on-revisionsto-data-for-model-based-areas-in-2022.htm. 
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State Unemployment

In 2021, 49 states and the District of Columbia had unemployment rate decreases and 1 state had little 

change. The largest decreases occurred in Hawaii and Nevada (-6.3 percentage points each). Fifteen

additional states had rate declines of at least 3.0 percentage points. (See table A and map 1.)

Nebraska had the lowest jobless rate among the states, 2.5 percent, followed by Utah, 2.7 percent.

California and Nevada had the highest unemployment rates in 2021, 7.3 percent and 7.2 percent, 

respectively. Overall, 25 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 5.3 percent, 9

states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 16 states had rates that were not appreciably 

different from that of the nation. (See table B and map 2.)

Regional Employment-Population Ratios

In 2021, all four census regions had increases in their employment-population ratios—the proportion of 

the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over who are employed. The West had the

largest ratio increase (+1.9 percentage points). The Midwest had the highest employment-population 

ratio, 60.5 percent, while the South and Northeast had the lowest ratios, 57.6 percent and 57.7 percent, 

respectively. (See table 2.)

All nine census divisions had over-the-year increases in their employment-population ratios in 2021, the 

largest of which were in the Pacific (+2.0 percentage points) and East North Central (+1.9 points) and 

the smallest of which was in the West North Central (+0.6 point). Four divisions had ratios notably 

higher than the U.S. ratio of 58.4 percent: the West North Central, 63.7 percent; New England, 60.7

percent; the Mountain, 60.2 percent; and the East North Central, 59.0 percent. Four divisions had ratios 

that were lower than the national average: the East South Central, 55.4 percent; Middle Atlantic, 56.7

percent; Pacific, 57.4 percent; and South Atlantic, 57.6 percent. 

State Employment-Population Ratios

In 2021, the largest employment-population ratio increases among the states occurred in Hawaii (+4.5

percentage points) and Nevada (+3.1 points). Thirty-six additional states and the District of Columbia 

also had increases in their ratios. Vermont had the only over-the-year decrease in its employmentpopulation ratio (-1.4 percentage points). The remaining 11 states had ratios that were not notably 

different from those of the previous year, though some had changes that were at least as large 

numerically as the significant changes. (See table C.)

Nebraska had the highest proportion of employed persons in 2021, 67.7 percent, followed by South 

Dakota, 66.4 percent. West Virginia and Mississippi had the lowest employment-population ratios 

among the states, 51.9 percent and 52.0 percent, respectively. Virginia and Wyoming had the lowest 

employment-population ratios in their series in 2021, 60.4 percent and 61.2 percent, respectively. (All 

region, division, and state series begin in 1976.) Overall, 22 states and the District of Columbia had 

employment-population ratios higher than the U.S. ratio of 58.4 percent, 15 states had lower ratios, and 

13 states had ratios that were not appreciably different from that of the nation. (See table D and map 3.)

_____________

The State Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2022 is scheduled to be 

released on Monday, March 14, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Metropolitan Area Employment 
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and Unemployment news release for January 2022 is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 

18, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on 2021 Household Survey Data

The "Impact summary" documents associated with the Employment Situation news release listed at 

www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-and-response-on-the-employment-situation-newsrelease.htm#summaries extensively discuss the monthly impacts of a misclassification in the household 

survey on the national estimates from March 2020 through December 2021. Despite the considerable 

decline in its degree relative to the initial months of the pandemic, this misclassification continued to be 

widespread geographically into 2021, with BLS analysis indicating that most states still were affected to 

at least some extent. However, according to usual practice, the data from the household survey are 

accepted as recorded. To maintain data integrity, no ad hoc actions are taken to reclassify survey 

responses. Hence, the household survey estimates of employed and unemployed people that serve as the 

primary inputs to the state models were affected to varying degrees by the misclassification, which in 

turn affected the monthly estimates underlying the annual averages presented in this news release.
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Table A. States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes, 2020–21

annual averages

2020 2021

Alabama ................................... 6.5 3.4 -3.1

Alaska ...................................... 8.2 6.4 -1.8

Arizona ..................................... 7.7 4.9 -2.8

Arkansas .................................. 6.1 4.0 -2.1

California .................................. 10.2 7.3 -2.9

Colorado ................................... 6.9 5.4 -1.5

Connecticut .............................. 7.8 6.3 -1.5

Delaware .................................. 7.6 5.3 -2.3

District of Columbia ................... 8.0 6.6 -1.4

Florida ...................................... 8.2 4.6 -3.6

Georgia .................................... 6.5 3.9 -2.6

Hawaii ...................................... 12.0 5.7 -6.3

Idaho ........................................ 5.5 3.6 -1.9

Illinois ....................................... 9.2 6.1 -3.1

Indiana ..................................... 7.2 3.6 -3.6

Iowa ......................................... 5.1 4.2 -.9

Kansas ..................................... 5.7 3.2 -2.5

Kentucky .................................. 6.4 4.7 -1.7

Louisiana .................................. 8.7 5.5 -3.2

Maryland .................................. 6.7 5.8 -.9

Massachusetts .......................... 9.4 5.7 -3.7

Michigan ................................... 10.0 5.9 -4.1

Minnesota ................................. 6.3 3.4 -2.9

Mississippi ................................ 7.9 5.6 -2.3

Missouri .................................... 6.1 4.4 -1.7

Montana ................................... 5.8 3.4 -2.4

Nebraska .................................. 4.1 2.5 -1.6

Nevada ..................................... 13.5 7.2 -6.3

New Hampshire ......................... 6.7 3.5 -3.2

New Jersey ............................... 9.5 6.3 -3.2

New Mexico .............................. 8.1 6.8 -1.3

New York .................................. 9.9 6.9 -3.0

North Carolina ........................... 7.1 4.8 -2.3

North Dakota ............................. 5.1 3.7 -1.4

Ohio ......................................... 8.2 5.1 -3.1

Oklahoma ................................. 6.2 3.8 -2.4

Oregon ..................................... 7.6 5.2 -2.4

Pennsylvania ............................. 9.1 6.3 -2.8

Rhode Island ............................. 9.2 5.6 -3.6

South Carolina .......................... 6.0 4.0 -2.0

South Dakota ............................ 4.3 3.1 -1.2

Tennessee ................................ 7.4 4.3 -3.1

Texas ....................................... 7.7 5.7 -2.0

Utah ......................................... 4.7 2.7 -2.0

Vermont .................................... 5.6 3.4 -2.2

Virginia ..................................... 6.2 3.9 -2.3

Washington .............................. 8.5 5.2 -3.3

West Virginia ............................ 8.2 5.0 -3.2

Wisconsin ................................ 6.3 3.8 -2.5

Wyoming .................................. 5.8 4.5 -1.3

Rate

State Over-the-year rate 

change 
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State Rate 

United States .................................................... 5.3

Alabama ........................................................... 3.4

Alaska .............................................................. 6.4

Arkansas .......................................................... 4.0

California ......................................................... 7.3

Connecticut ...................................................... 6.3

District of Columbia ........................................... 6.6

Florida ............................................................. 4.6

Georgia ............................................................ 3.9

Idaho ............................................................... 3.6

Illinois .............................................................. 6.1

Indiana ............................................................. 3.6

Iowa ................................................................. 4.2

Kansas ............................................................. 3.2

Kentucky .......................................................... 4.7

Minnesota ......................................................... 3.4

Missouri ........................................................... 4.4

Montana ........................................................... 3.4

Nebraska .......................................................... 2.5

Nevada ............................................................. 7.2

New Hampshire ................................................. 3.5

New Jersey ...................................................... 6.3

New Mexico ...................................................... 6.8

New York ......................................................... 6.9

North Carolina .................................................. 4.8

North Dakota .................................................... 3.7

Oklahoma ......................................................... 3.8

Pennsylvania .................................................... 6.3

South Carolina .................................................. 4.0

South Dakota .................................................... 3.1

Tennessee ........................................................ 4.3

Utah ................................................................. 2.7

Vermont ........................................................... 3.4

Virginia ............................................................ 3.9

Wisconsin ........................................................ 3.8

Wyoming ......................................................... 4.5

of the U.S., 2021 annual averages

Table B. States with unemployment rates significantly different from that
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Table C. States with statistically significant employment-population ratio changes,

2020–21 annual averages

2020 2021

Alabama ................................... 53.6 54.6 1.0

Alaska ...................................... 58.5 60.9 2.4

Arizona ..................................... 56.5 58.1 1.6

California .................................. 54.7 56.6 1.9

Colorado ................................... 62.8 64.6 1.8

Delaware .................................. 56.6 58.4 1.8

District of Columbia ................... 63.7 65.2 1.5

Florida ...................................... 53.0 55.6 2.6

Georgia .................................... 57.3 59.4 2.1

Hawaii ...................................... 51.9 56.4 4.5

Illinois ....................................... 57.2 59.1 1.9

Indiana ..................................... 58.3 60.3 2.0

Kansas ..................................... 62.7 64.2 1.5

Kentucky .................................. 53.5 55.0 1.5

Louisiana .................................. 52.6 54.6 2.0

Massachusetts .......................... 59.0 61.7 2.7

Michigan ................................... 54.1 55.7 1.6

Mississippi ................................ 50.3 52.0 1.7

Missouri .................................... 59.1 60.3 1.2

Montana ................................... 59.1 60.2 1.1

Nebraska .................................. 66.6 67.7 1.1

Nevada ..................................... 53.0 56.1 3.1

New Hampshire ......................... 62.2 63.3 1.1

New Jersey ............................... 57.0 59.1 2.1

New Mexico .............................. 51.9 52.8 .9

New York .................................. 53.3 55.0 1.7

North Carolina ........................... 54.8 56.7 1.9

Ohio ......................................... 56.5 58.4 1.9

Oklahoma ................................. 56.7 58.3 1.6

Oregon ..................................... 56.7 59.0 2.3

Pennsylvania ............................. 56.5 57.6 1.1

Rhode Island ............................. 57.5 60.0 2.5

South Carolina .......................... 54.0 55.1 1.1

Tennessee ................................ 56.0 57.8 1.8

Texas ....................................... 57.9 59.7 1.8

Utah ......................................... 64.6 66.1 1.5

Vermont .................................... 60.3 58.9 -1.4

Washington .............................. 58.9 60.3 1.4

West Virginia ............................ 49.7 51.9 2.2

Wisconsin ................................ 62.0 64.0 2.0

State

Ratio Over-the-year ratio 

change 
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State Ratio 

United States .................................................... 58.4

Alabama ........................................................... 54.6

Alaska .............................................................. 60.9

Arkansas .......................................................... 54.2

California ......................................................... 56.6

Colorado .......................................................... 64.6

District of Columbia ........................................... 65.2

Florida ............................................................. 55.6

Hawaii .............................................................. 56.4

Idaho ............................................................... 60.3

Indiana ............................................................. 60.3

Iowa ................................................................. 64.1

Kansas ............................................................. 64.2

Kentucky .......................................................... 55.0

Louisiana ......................................................... 54.6

Maryland .......................................................... 61.5

Massachusetts .................................................. 61.7

Michigan .......................................................... 55.7

Minnesota ......................................................... 65.0

Mississippi ........................................................ 52.0

Missouri ........................................................... 60.3

Montana ........................................................... 60.2

Nebraska .......................................................... 67.7

Nevada ............................................................. 56.1

New Hampshire ................................................. 63.3

New Mexico ...................................................... 52.8

New York ......................................................... 55.0

North Carolina .................................................. 56.7

North Dakota .................................................... 66.0

Rhode Island .................................................... 60.0

South Carolina .................................................. 55.1

South Dakota .................................................... 66.4

Texas ............................................................... 59.7

Utah ................................................................. 66.1

Virginia ............................................................ 60.4

Washington ...................................................... 60.3

West Virginia .................................................... 51.9

Wisconsin ........................................................ 64.0

Wyoming ......................................................... 61.2

from that of the U.S., 2021 annual averages

Table D. States with employment-population ratios significantly different 
Technical Note

This release presents labor force and unemployment 

data for census regions and divisions and states from 

the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) 

program. The LAUS program is a federal-state 

cooperative endeavor.

Concepts

Definitions. The labor force and unemployment data 

are based on the same concepts and definitions as 

those used for the official national estimates obtained 

from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a sample 

survey of households that is conducted for the Bureau 

of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census Bureau. 

The LAUS program measures employed and 

unemployed persons on a place-of-residence basis. 

The universe for each is the civilian noninstitutional 

population 16 years of age and older. Employed 

persons are those who did any work at all for pay or 

profit in the reference week (the week including the 

12th of the month) or worked 15 hours or more without 

pay in a family business or farm, plus those not 

working who had a job from which they were 

temporarily absent, whether or not paid, for such 

reasons as labor management dispute, illness, or 

vacation. Unemployed persons are those who were not 

employed during the reference week (based on the 

definition above), had actively looked for a job 

sometime in the 4-week period ending with the 

reference week, and were currently available for work; 

persons on layoff expecting recall need not be looking 

for work to be counted as unemployed. The labor force 

is the sum of employed and unemployed persons. The 

unemployment rate is the number of unemployed 

persons expressed as a percent of the labor force. The 

employment-population ratio is the proportion of the 

civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age 

and older that is employed.

Method of estimation. Estimates for 48 of the 50 

states, the District of Columbia, the Los Angeles-Long 

Beach-Glendale metropolitan division, New York 

City, and the balances of California and New York 

State are produced using estimating equations based 

on regression techniques. This method uses data from 

several sources, including the CPS, the Current 

Employment Statistics (CES) survey of nonfarm 

payroll employment, and state unemployment 

insurance (UI) programs. Estimates for the state of 

California are derived by summing the estimates for 

the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metropolitan 

division and the balance of California. Similarly, 

estimates for New York State are derived by summing

the estimates for New York City and the balance of 

New York State. Estimates for all nine census 

divisions are based on a similar regression approach 

that does not incorporate CES or UI data. Estimates for 

census regions are obtained by summing the modelbased estimates for the component divisions and then 

calculating the unemployment rate. Each month, 

census division estimates are controlled to national 

totals; state estimates are then controlled to their 

respective division totals. A detailed description of the 

estimation procedures is available from BLS upon 

request. 

Annual revisions. Labor force and unemployment 

data for prior years reflect adjustments made at the 

beginning of each year. The adjusted estimates 

incorporate updated population controls from the U.S. 

Census Bureau, any revisions in the other data sources, 

and model re-estimation. Historical data for the most 

recent 5 years (both seasonally adjusted and not 

seasonally adjusted) are revised near the beginning of 

each calendar year, prior to the release of January 

estimates. 

 The population controls for April 2020 forward 

reflect a “blended base,” using population totals from 

the 2020 Census but demographic distributions still 

based on the 2010 Census. Typically, population 

estimates are revised back to the decennial estimates 

base. However, due to notable discontinuities between 

the final, 2010-extrapolated recontrol series and the 

new blended base series that coincide with the peak 

pandemic months of March–April 2020, BLS 

implemented a temporary wedged population series 

for the 2010s through March 2020. For more 

information on these population controls, see 

www.bls.gov/lau/important-information-onrevisions-to-data-for-model-based-areas-in-2022.htm.

Reliability of the estimates

The estimates presented in this release are based on 

sample surveys, administrative data, and modeling 

and, thus, are subject to sampling and other types of 

errors. Sampling error is a measure of sampling 

variability—that is, variation that occurs by chance 

because a sample rather than the entire population is 

surveyed. Survey data also are subject to nonsampling 

errors, such as those which can be introduced into the 

data collection and processing operations. Estimates 

not directly derived from sample surveys are subject 

to additional errors resulting from the specific 

estimation processes used. In table 1, level estimates 

for states may not sum to level estimates for regions 

and divisions because of rounding. Unemployment 

rates and employment-population ratios are computed 

from unrounded levels and, thus, may differ slightly 
from rates and ratios computed using the rounded level 

estimates displayed in table 1.

Use of error measures. Changes in unemployment 

rates and employment-population ratios are cited in 

the analysis of this release only if they have been 

determined to be statistically significant. Furthermore, 

unemployment rates and employment-population 

ratios for the latest year generally are cited only if they 

have been determined to be significantly different 

from the corresponding U.S. measure. The underlying 

model-based error measures are available online at 

www.bls.gov/lau/lastderr.htm. BLS uses 90-percent 

confidence levels in determining whether changes in 

LAUS unemployment rates and employmentpopulation ratios are statistically significant. The

average magnitude of the over-the-year change in an 

annual state unemployment rate that is required in 

order to be statistically significant at the 90-percent

confidence level is about 0.8 percentage point. The 

average magnitude of the over-the-year change in an 

annual state employment-population ratio that is

required in order to be statistically significant at the 

90-percent confidence level is about 0.6 percentage 

point. Measures of nonsampling error are not 

available.

Additional information

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech 

disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access 

telecommunications relay services.
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,

2020–21 annual averages

(Numbers in thousands)

Population Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Unemployment rate

2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021

United States ....................... 260,329 261,445 160,742 161,204 147,795 152,581 12,947 8,623 8.1 5.3 5.3 – 5.4 

Northeast ............................... 46,355 46,181 28,683 28,452 26,055 26,662 2,628 1,790 9.2 6.3 6.1 – 6.5 

New England ....................... 12,354 12,379 7,983 7,943 7,327 7,510 656 433 8.2 5.4 5.1 – 5.8 

Connecticut ...................... 2,916 2,926 1,898 1,856 1,750 1,740 148 116 7.8 6.3 5.5 – 7.0 

Maine ................................ 1,127 1,138 675 682 641 650 34 32 5.0 4.6 3.9 – 5.4 

Massachusetts ................. 5,741 5,727 3,742 3,751 3,390 3,535 351 215 9.4 5.7 5.2 – 6.2 

New Hampshire ................ 1,139 1,151 760 755 709 729 51 26 6.7 3.5 3.0 – 4.0 

Rhode Island .................... 896 898 567 571 515 539 52 32 9.2 5.6 4.8 – 6.4 

Vermont ............................ 535 538 341 328 322 317 19 11 5.6 3.4 3.0 – 3.9 

Middle Atlantic ..................... 34,001 33,802 20,701 20,509 18,728 19,151 1,973 1,358 9.5 6.6 6.3 – 6.9 

New Jersey ....................... 7,380 7,389 4,643 4,661 4,203 4,365 440 296 9.5 6.3 5.8 – 6.9 

New York .......................... 16,196 15,989 9,575 9,441 8,631 8,786 944 655 9.9 6.9 6.5 – 7.4 

Pennsylvania .................... 10,425 10,424 6,483 6,406 5,894 5,999 589 407 9.1 6.3 5.9 – 6.8 

Midwest .................................. 54,286 54,348 34,629 34,467 32,015 32,859 2,614 1,607 7.5 4.7 4.5 – 4.8 

East North Central .............. 37,457 37,455 23,376 23,288 21,398 22,093 1,977 1,195 8.5 5.1 4.9 – 5.4 

Illinois ................................ 10,099 10,040 6,367 6,319 5,781 5,936 586 383 9.2 6.1 5.6 – 6.5 

Indiana .............................. 5,289 5,316 3,323 3,322 3,083 3,203 240 118 7.2 3.6 3.1 – 4.0 

Michigan ........................... 8,060 8,064 4,846 4,776 4,362 4,496 484 280 10.0 5.9 5.3 – 6.4 

Ohio .................................. 9,316 9,324 5,734 5,737 5,263 5,442 471 295 8.2 5.1 4.7 – 5.6 

Wisconsin ......................... 4,693 4,711 3,106 3,134 2,909 3,016 197 118 6.3 3.8 3.3 – 4.3 

West North Central ............. 16,829 16,893 11,254 11,179 10,617 10,767 637 412 5.7 3.7 3.4 – 3.9 

Iowa .................................. 2,497 2,506 1,682 1,676 1,596 1,605 86 71 5.1 4.2 3.7 – 4.7 

Kansas .............................. 2,249 2,255 1,494 1,496 1,409 1,447 85 48 5.7 3.2 2.8 – 3.7 

Minnesota ......................... 4,479 4,493 3,123 3,021 2,926 2,918 197 103 6.3 3.4 2.9 – 3.9 

Missouri ............................ 4,832 4,853 3,037 3,062 2,853 2,928 184 134 6.1 4.4 3.8 – 4.9 

Nebraska .......................... 1,503 1,509 1,045 1,049 1,001 1,023 43 26 4.1 2.5 2.1 – 2.9 

North Dakota .................... 595 593 412 406 391 391 21 15 5.1 3.7 3.3 – 4.1 

South Dakota ................... 675 683 462 468 442 454 20 15 4.3 3.1 2.6 – 3.6 

South ...................................... 98,786 99,709 59,562 60,270 55,248 57,392 4,315 2,878 7.2 4.8 4.6 – 4.9 

South Atlantic ...................... 52,488 52,968 31,609 31,934 29,352 30,486 2,257 1,447 7.1 4.5 4.3 – 4.7 

Delaware .......................... 793 805 486 496 449 470 37 27 7.6 5.3 4.7 – 6.0 

District of Columbia .......... 563 547 389 382 358 357 31 25 8.0 6.6 5.9 – 7.2 

Florida ............................... 17,486 17,697 10,095 10,313 9,267 9,843 828 470 8.2 4.6 4.2 – 4.9 

Georgia ............................. 8,298 8,385 5,080 5,187 4,751 4,984 328 203 6.5 3.9 3.5 – 4.4 

Maryland ........................... 4,860 4,866 3,228 3,176 3,012 2,992 215 183 6.7 5.8 5.1 – 6.4 

North Carolina .................. 8,223 8,322 4,849 4,960 4,505 4,721 343 238 7.1 4.8 4.3 – 5.3 

South Carolina ................. 4,058 4,118 2,331 2,364 2,191 2,270 140 95 6.0 4.0 3.5 – 4.5 

Virginia .............................. 6,760 6,785 4,369 4,268 4,098 4,101 271 167 6.2 3.9 3.4 – 4.4 

West Virginia .................... 1,447 1,443 783 789 719 749 64 40 8.2 5.0 4.4 – 5.6 

East South Central .............. 15,216 15,298 8,828 8,866 8,209 8,481 619 385 7.0 4.3 4.0 – 4.6 

Alabama ........................... 3,958 3,975 2,268 2,247 2,121 2,170 147 77 6.5 3.4 3.0 – 3.9 

Kentucky ........................... 3,525 3,534 2,017 2,037 1,887 1,942 130 95 6.4 4.7 4.0 – 5.3 

Mississippi ........................ 2,279 2,279 1,244 1,254 1,145 1,184 98 70 7.9 5.6 4.9 – 6.2 

Tennessee ........................ 5,454 5,510 3,299 3,328 3,056 3,185 244 143 7.4 4.3 3.8 – 4.8 

West South Central ............ 31,082 31,443 19,125 19,470 17,687 18,425 1,439 1,045 7.5 5.4 5.1 – 5.6 

Arkansas .......................... 2,343 2,358 1,357 1,333 1,274 1,279 83 54 6.1 4.0 3.5 – 4.5 

Louisiana .......................... 3,581 3,569 2,062 2,062 1,883 1,949 180 113 8.7 5.5 4.9 – 6.0 

Oklahoma ......................... 3,035 3,060 1,836 1,854 1,722 1,783 114 71 6.2 3.8 3.3 – 4.4 

Texas ................................ 22,123 22,456 13,871 14,220 12,809 13,413 1,062 807 7.7 5.7 5.3 – 6.0 

West ....................................... 61,795 62,091 38,332 38,570 34,865 36,187 3,467 2,383 9.0 6.2 6.0 – 6.4 

Mountain .............................. 19,496 19,817 12,357 12,561 11,426 11,937 932 624 7.5 5.0 4.7 – 5.2 

Arizona ............................. 5,652 5,759 3,457 3,518 3,191 3,346 266 172 7.7 4.9 4.3 – 5.5 

Colorado ........................... 4,579 4,625 3,087 3,156 2,875 2,987 212 169 6.9 5.4 4.8 – 6.0 

Idaho ................................. 1,420 1,467 898 917 849 884 49 33 5.5 3.6 3.1 – 4.0 

Montana ............................ 866 882 543 550 512 531 31 19 5.8 3.4 2.9 – 3.8 

Nevada ............................. 2,454 2,489 1,503 1,505 1,300 1,396 203 109 13.5 7.2 6.5 – 8.0 

New Mexico ...................... 1,657 1,665 936 943 860 879 76 64 8.1 6.8 6.1 – 7.5 

Utah .................................. 2,418 2,476 1,640 1,681 1,563 1,636 78 45 4.7 2.7 2.3 – 3.1 

Wyoming .......................... 450 453 294 290 277 277 17 13 5.8 4.5 3.9 – 5.1 

Pacific .................................. 42,300 42,274 25,975 26,008 23,440 24,249 2,535 1,759 9.8 6.8 6.5 – 7.0 

Alaska ............................... 544 546 347 355 318 332 29 23 8.2 6.4 5.6 – 7.2 

California .......................... 31,095 31,015 18,931 18,923 16,997 17,542 1,934 1,381 10.2 7.3 7.0 – 7.6 

Hawaii ............................... 1,123 1,117 662 668 583 630 80 38 12.0 5.7 5.0 – 6.4 

Oregon .............................. 3,432 3,450 2,105 2,148 1,945 2,036 160 112 7.6 5.2 4.6 – 5.8 

Washington ...................... 6,105 6,146 3,929 3,914 3,597 3,709 333 205 8.5 5.2 4.7 – 5.8 

Region, division, and state Error range of rate, 

2021 1

1 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are based on unrounded data. 

NOTE: Data refer to place of residence. Unemployment rates are in percent and are based on

unrounded levels. Data for subnational areas reflect revised population controls and model 

re-estimation. As a result, they will not add to U.S. totals.
Table 2. Employment-population ratios of persons 16 years of age and over by region, division, and state,

2020–21 annual averages

(Percent)

Employment-population ratio 1

2020 2021

United States ................................................................ 56.8 58.4 1.6 58.2 – 58.5 

Northeast ......................................................................... 56.2 57.7 1.5 57.3 – 58.2 

New England ................................................................ 59.3 60.7 1.4 60.0 – 61.3 

Connecticut ................................................................ 60.0 59.5 -.5 58.0 – 60.9 

Maine ......................................................................... 56.9 57.1 .2 55.4 – 58.9 

Massachusetts .......................................................... 59.0 61.7 2.7 60.7 – 62.8 

New Hampshire ......................................................... 62.2 63.3 1.1 62.1 – 64.5 

Rhode Island ............................................................. 57.5 60.0 2.5 58.5 – 61.6 

Vermont ..................................................................... 60.3 58.9 -1.4 57.6 – 60.2 

Middle Atlantic .............................................................. 55.1 56.7 1.6 56.1 – 57.2 

New Jersey ................................................................ 57.0 59.1 2.1 58.0 – 60.2 

New York ................................................................... 53.3 55.0 1.7 54.1 – 55.8 

Pennsylvania ............................................................. 56.5 57.6 1.1 56.7 – 58.5 

Midwest ........................................................................... 59.0 60.5 1.5 60.0 – 60.9 

East North Central ....................................................... 57.1 59.0 1.9 58.5 – 59.5 

Illinois ......................................................................... 57.2 59.1 1.9 58.2 – 60.1 

Indiana ....................................................................... 58.3 60.3 2.0 59.0 – 61.5 

Michigan .................................................................... 54.1 55.7 1.6 54.7 – 56.8 

Ohio ........................................................................... 56.5 58.4 1.9 57.4 – 59.4 

Wisconsin .................................................................. 62.0 64.0 2.0 62.7 – 65.3 

West North Central ...................................................... 63.1 63.7 .6 63.1 – 64.4 

Iowa ........................................................................... 63.9 64.1 .2 62.6 – 65.5 

Kansas ....................................................................... 62.7 64.2 1.5 62.9 – 65.5 

Minnesota .................................................................. 65.3 65.0 -.3 63.6 – 66.3 

Missouri ..................................................................... 59.1 60.3 1.2 59.0 – 61.7 

Nebraska ................................................................... 66.6 67.7 1.1 66.5 – 69.0 

North Dakota ............................................................. 65.7 66.0 .3 64.3 – 67.7 

South Dakota ............................................................. 65.4 66.4 1.0 64.9 – 67.9 

South ............................................................................... 55.9 57.6 1.7 57.3 – 57.9 

South Atlantic ............................................................... 55.9 57.6 1.7 57.1 – 58.0 

Delaware .................................................................... 56.6 58.4 1.8 57.0 – 59.8 

District of Columbia ................................................... 63.7 65.2 1.5 63.9 – 66.6 

Florida ........................................................................ 53.0 55.6 2.6 54.9 – 56.3 

Georgia ...................................................................... 57.3 59.4 2.1 58.4 – 60.5 

Maryland .................................................................... 62.0 61.5 -.5 60.1 – 62.9 

North Carolina ........................................................... 54.8 56.7 1.9 55.7 – 57.7 

South Carolina ........................................................... 54.0 55.1 1.1 54.0 – 56.3 

Virginia ....................................................................... 60.6 60.4 -.2 59.3 – 61.6 

West Virginia ............................................................. 49.7 51.9 2.2 50.4 – 53.4 

East South Central ....................................................... 54.0 55.4 1.4 54.7 – 56.2 

Alabama .................................................................... 53.6 54.6 1.0 53.3 – 55.9 

Kentucky .................................................................... 53.5 55.0 1.5 53.5 – 56.4 

Mississippi ................................................................. 50.3 52.0 1.7 50.7 – 53.3 

Tennessee ................................................................. 56.0 57.8 1.8 56.6 – 59.0 

West South Central ...................................................... 56.9 58.6 1.7 58.1 – 59.1 

Arkansas .................................................................... 54.4 54.2 -.2 53.0 – 55.5 

Louisiana ................................................................... 52.6 54.6 2.0 53.5 – 55.8 

Oklahoma .................................................................. 56.7 58.3 1.6 57.0 – 59.6 

Texas ......................................................................... 57.9 59.7 1.8 59.1 – 60.4 

West ................................................................................ 56.4 58.3 1.9 57.9 – 58.6 

Mountain ....................................................................... 58.6 60.2 1.6 59.6 – 60.8 

Arizona ....................................................................... 56.5 58.1 1.6 56.9 – 59.3 

Colorado .................................................................... 62.8 64.6 1.8 63.2 – 65.9 

Idaho .......................................................................... 59.8 60.3 .5 59.1 – 61.5 

Montana ..................................................................... 59.1 60.2 1.1 59.1 – 61.3 

Nevada ...................................................................... 53.0 56.1 3.1 54.7 – 57.5 

New Mexico ............................................................... 51.9 52.8 .9 51.5 – 54.2 

Utah ........................................................................... 64.6 66.1 1.5 64.8 – 67.4 

Wyoming .................................................................... 61.5 61.2 -.3 59.8 – 62.6 

Pacific ........................................................................... 55.4 57.4 2.0 56.9 – 57.8 

Alaska ........................................................................ 58.5 60.9 2.4 59.4 – 62.4 

California .................................................................... 54.7 56.6 1.9 56.0 – 57.1 

Hawaii ........................................................................ 51.9 56.4 4.5 55.1 – 57.7 

Oregon ....................................................................... 56.7 59.0 2.3 57.7 – 60.4 

Washington ............................................................... 58.9 60.3 1.4 59.1 – 61.5 

Region, division, and state Error range of ratio, 

2021 2

Over-the-year 

change

1 Employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 

years of age and over.

2 Error ranges are shown at the 90-percent confidence level and are 

based on unrounded data.

NOTE: Data refer to place of residence. Employment-population 

ratios are based on unrounded levels. Data for subnational areas 

reflect revised population controls and model re-estimation.
TEXAS

N.M.

CALIF.

MONT.

NEV.

ARIZ.

ORE.

S.D.

WYO.

COLO. KAN. MO.

N.D.

NEB.

UTAH

GA.

ILL.

MINN.

LA.

IDAHO

FLA.

PA.

WIS.

N.Y.

OKLA.

N.C.

KY.

ALA.

VA.

ARK.

WASH.

IOWA

MISS.

IND.

OHIO

S.C.

MICH.

TENN.

MAINE

W.VA.

VT. N.H.

-0.9 point or higher

-1.0 point to -1.9 points

-2.0 points to -2.9 points

-3.0 points to -3.9 points

-4.0 points or lower

MD.

DEL.

MASS.

N.J.

CONN. R.I.

D.C.

HAWAII

ALASKA

Pacific

Mountain West

North Central

East

North Central

New England

Middle

Atlantic

South

Atlantic

East

South Central

West

South Central

Map 1. Over-the-year change in unemployment rates by state,

2020-21 annual averages

(U.S. change = -2.8 percentage points)
TEXAS

N.M.

CALIF.

MONT.

NEV.

ARIZ.

ORE.

S.D.

WYO.

COLO. KAN. MO.

N.D.

NEB.

UTAH

GA.

ILL.

MINN.

LA.

IDAHO

FLA.

PA.

WIS.

N.Y.

OKLA.

N.C.

KY.

ALA.

VA.

ARK.

WASH.

IOWA

MISS.

IND.

OHIO

S.C.

MICH.

TENN.

MAINE

W.VA.

VT. N.H.

6.0% or higher

5.0% to 5.9%

4.0% to 4.9%

3.0% to 3.9%

2.9% or lower

MD.

DEL.

MASS.

N.J.

CONN. R.I.

D.C.

HAWAII

ALASKA

Pacific

Mountain West

North Central

East

North Central

New England

Middle

Atlantic

South

Atlantic

East

South Central

West

South Central

Map 2. Unemployment rates by state, 2021 annual averages

(U.S. rate = 5.3 percent)
TEXAS

N.M.

CALIF.

MONT.

NEV.

ARIZ.

ORE.

S.D.

WYO.

COLO. KAN. MO.

N.D.

NEB.

UTAH

GA.

ILL.

MINN.

LA.

IDAHO

FLA.

PA.

WIS.

N.Y.

OKLA.

N.C.

KY.

ALA.

VA.

ARK.

WASH.

IOWA

MISS.

IND.

OHIO

S.C.

MICH.

TENN.

MAINE

W.VA.

VT. N.H.

62.0% or higher

57.0% to 61.9%

56.9% or lower

MD.

DEL.

MASS.

N.J.

CONN. R.I.

D.C.

HAWAII

ALASKA

Pacific

Mountain West

North Central

East

North Central

New England

Middle

Atlantic

South

Atlantic

East

South Central

West

South Central

Map 3. Employment-population ratios by state, 

2021 annual averages

(U.S. ratio = 58.4 percent)