This table ranks the 51 states of the U.S. by their unemployment rate. In August 2016, South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate in the United States. 2.9 percent of the population of South Dakota were unemployed that month. The highest unemployment rate was recorded in Alaska, with 6.8 percent unemployment rate.
Unemployment in the U.S.
A person is considered unemployed if they have no job and are currently looking for a job and available to work. The unemployment rate in the United States varies across states. Nation-wide unemployment reached 4.9 percent as of July 2016 and has been remained almost the same over the last year. Unemployment can be affected by various factors including economic conditions, global competition, and demographics. During economic prosperity, unemployment rates generally decrease and during times of recession, rates increase, such as during the recessions in 2001 and 2007 to 2009. Many Americans believe that job creation should be one of the most important priorities set by the government. Since 1990, the country’s unemployment rate reached a low of 4 percent in 2000 and a high in 2010 at 9.6 percent. It has been argued that the definition of unemployment is too narrow and does not include some groups of people, such as the “underemployed” and the “hidden unemployed”, which account for about 3.3 million Americans. The lack of inclusion of these groups may indicate that the unemployment rate in the country is higher than officially indicated.
