The real unemployment rate — measured on a U-6 basis, counting the underemployed and discouraged workers the headline U-3 leaves out — for every U.S. state, May 2026. Click a state for county-level detail and high-demand jobs.
| State | Real rate (AUR) | Official U-3 |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 11.5% | 6.1% |
| Nevada | 10.6% | 5.2% |
| California | 10.2% | 5.3% |
| Florida | 10.0% | 4.8% |
| Oregon | 9.8% | 5.2% |
| Washington | 9.8% | 5.2% |
| Connecticut | 9.6% | 5.1% |
| Delaware | 9.6% | 5.1% |
| New Mexico | 9.2% | 4.9% |
| Illinois | 9.1% | 5.1% |
| Arizona | 9.0% | 4.8% |
| Michigan | 9.0% | 5.1% |
| New York | 8.8% | 4.6% |
| South Carolina | 8.7% | 4.6% |
| Alaska | 8.7% | 4.6% |
| Kentucky | 8.5% | 4.5% |
| Louisiana | 8.5% | 4.5% |
| Massachusetts | 8.5% | 4.5% |
| Texas | 8.4% | 4.3% |
| Maryland | 8.3% | 4.4% |
| Minnesota | 8.3% | 4.4% |
| New Jersey | 8.3% | 4.7% |
| Rhode Island | 8.1% | 4.3% |
| West Virginia | 8.1% | 4.3% |
| Arkansas | 7.9% | 4.2% |
| Colorado | 7.9% | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 7.9% | 4.2% |
| Oklahoma | 7.7% | 4.1% |
| Kansas | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| Mississippi | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| Missouri | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| Idaho | 7.0% | 3.7% |
| North Carolina | 7.0% | 3.7% |
| Utah | 7.0% | 3.7% |
| Tennessee | 6.8% | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 6.7% | 3.4% |
| Montana | 6.4% | 3.4% |
| Wisconsin | 6.4% | 3.4% |
| Wyoming | 6.4% | 3.4% |
| Indiana | 6.2% | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 6.2% | 3.7% |
| Iowa | 6.0% | 3.2% |
| Maine | 5.8% | 3.1% |
| Alabama | 5.6% | 3.0% |
| Nebraska | 5.6% | 3.0% |
| New Hampshire | 5.6% | 3.0% |
| Vermont | 4.9% | 2.6% |
| Hawaii | 4.7% | 2.5% |
| North Dakota | 4.5% | 2.4% |
| South Dakota | 4.0% | 2.1% |
Ranked by real rate, highest first. Built on public BLS data and updated monthly. See the methodology.