Unemployment Rate by State (updated May 2017)
View the current unemployment rate on a state-by-state level below. Statistics are updated as of May 2017.
The current national unemployment rate is 4.4%. Several states, including Alaska and New Mexico, currently show unemployment rates above 6%. The District of Columbia and Louisiana also have higher-than-average unemployment rates as of May 2017.
States with some of the lowest unemployment rates currently include Hawaii, Colorado, North Dakota and New Hampshire.
Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount, by State
Each state administers its own unemployment insurance (UI) program. Therefore, the benefits an unemployed individual is paid by the state will vary. We have compiled a current data set showing the maximum weekly benefit amounts paid by each state. Find your state below to see how much an unemployed person can earn each week.
States with the Highest Weekly Unemployment Payments
Massachusetts – $1,019
Rhode Island – $707
Connecticut – $665
New Jersey – $636
Minnesota – $629
States with the Lowest Weekly Unemployment Payments
Mississippi – $235
Arizona – $240
Alabama – 265
Tennessee – $275
Florida – $275
Maximum Weeks of Unemployment Benefits Paid
Each state also sets a maximum number of weeks that it will pay continual benefits to an unemployed individual. Most states set this limit at 26 weeks, or one half of a year. But some states - like Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina - set a maximum weekly benefit time limit at some period less than 26 weeks.
Our team has compiled the most recent data for this below.
