Unemployment rate, less than high school: U.S. states ranked (2025)
Measure: Unemployment rate, less than high school. All 50 states and District of Columbia with data in Unemployment and labor force participation by education, by state, ranked from highest to lowest. Reference period: 2025.
National value: 7.4 (United States).
Small states, hard to see on the map:
- Lowest: 1.1 to 5.7 %
- Group 2: 5.7 to 6.5 %
- Group 3: 6.5 to 7.8 %
- Group 4: 7.8 to 9.3 %
- Highest: 9.3 to 15.8 %
Rank is derived by Quadranac: 1 = highest value; ties share a rank. Values are as published in the source table.
| 1 | Connecticut | 15.8 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | West Virginia | 14.8 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 12.6 |
| 4 | Nebraska | 12.1 |
| 5 | Michigan | 10.8 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 10.5 |
| 7 | Alaska | 10.3 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 10.2 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 9.6 |
| 10 | Ohio | 9.3 |
| 10 | Oregon | 9.3 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 8.9 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 8.9 |
| 14 | Mississippi | 8.8 |
| 15 | Washington | 8.7 |
| 16 | New York | 8.5 |
| 17 | Illinois | 8.3 |
| 18 | Iowa | 8.2 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 8.1 |
| 20 | Louisiana | 7.8 |
| 20 | Nevada | 7.8 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 7.8 |
| 23 | California | 7.7 |
| 24 | Alabama | 7.5 |
| 25 | North Carolina | 7 |
| 25 | Tennessee | 7 |
| 27 | Missouri | 6.9 |
| 27 | New Jersey | 6.9 |
| 27 | South Dakota | 6.9 |
| 30 | Florida | 6.8 |
| 31 | Kansas | 6.5 |
| 32 | Arkansas | 6.4 |
| 33 | Indiana | 6.2 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | 6.2 |
| 35 | Texas | 6.1 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | 6 |
| 37 | Georgia | 5.9 |
| 37 | Maryland | 5.9 |
| 37 | Minnesota | 5.9 |
| 40 | Arizona | 5.8 |
| 41 | New Mexico | 5.7 |
| 42 | Hawaii | 5.4 |
| 43 | Colorado | 5.1 |
| 43 | North Dakota | 5.1 |
| 45 | Utah | 5 |
| 46 | Montana | 4.8 |
| 46 | Vermont | 4.8 |
| 48 | Virginia | 4.3 |
| 49 | Maine | 2.2 |
| 50 | Idaho | 1.3 |
| 51 | Delaware | 1.1 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, Table S2301: Employment Status. Reference period: 2025.
Cite this ranking
U.S. states ranked by unemployment rate, less than high school (2025). Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, ACS 1-year estimates, Table S2301; rank derived by Quadranac. Data last updated 2026-10-30. https://quadranac.com/rankings/us-states-by-unemployment-rate-less-than-high-school/