The U.S. reduced unemployment to record lows last year, and it has only experienced slight fluctuations since then. The job market is still in good shape, as new unemployment claims decreased by 14% compared to the same week last year, while remaining unchanged week-over-week on April 22. There are currently 6.4 million Americans unemployed in total, though, and it’s important to look at some key stats for the latest week to get the complete picture:
- Every state had unemployment claims last week that were lower than in the previous week except for Pennsylvania, New York, North Dakota, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia, Nebraska, Vermont, Michigan, Nevada, Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Alaska, Iowa, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia.
- 30 states – including Kentucky, Georgia, and Indiana – had unemployment claims last week that were lower than the same week last year.
To identify where unemployment claims are decreasing the most, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on changes in unemployment claims for several key benchmark weeks. We also considered the number of claims per 100,000 people in the labor force.
Main Findings
States Where Unemployment Claims Are Decreasing the Most
State | Decreased Most Since Last Week* | Claims Per 100,000 People in the Labor Force (Rank)** |
---|---|---|
South Dakota | 1 | 1 |
Arkansas | 2 | 13 |
Delaware | 3 | 2 |
Louisiana | 4 | 10 |
Rhode Island | 5 | 43 |
Utah | 6 | 16 |
Maine | 7 | 18 |
Georgia | 8 | 20 |
Indiana | 9 | 11 |
New Mexico | 10 | 12 |
Virginia | 11 | 3 |
Oklahoma | 12 | 8 |
Maryland | 13 | 9 |
Florida | 14 | 5 |
Kentucky | 15 | 22 |
South Carolina | 16 | 19 |
Mississippi | 17 | 15 |
Wyoming | 18 | 32 |
North Carolina | 19 | 7 |
Nebraska | 20 | 4 |
Missouri | 21 | 14 |
Alabama | 22 | 24 |
Idaho | 23 | 23 |
North Dakota | 24 | 6 |
Ohio | 25 | 21 |
Texas | 26 | 25 |
Montana | 27 | 26 |
Oregon | 28 | 48 |
Connecticut | 29 | 45 |
Wisconsin | 30 | 33 |
Kansas | 31 | 17 |
Minnesota | 32 | 29 |
Massachusetts | 33 | 38 |
Arizona | 34 | 35 |
Hawaii | 35 | 44 |
Vermont | 36 | 39 |
Washington | 37 | 37 |
Michigan | 38 | 30 |
Pennsylvania | 39 | 42 |
Tennessee | 40 | 28 |
District of Columbia | 41 | 36 |
California | 42 | 50 |
West Virginia | 43 | 34 |
Illinois | 44 | 40 |
Colorado | 45 | 27 |
Nevada | 46 | 46 |
New Hampshire | 47 | 31 |
Alaska | 48 | 51 |
New Jersey | 49 | 47 |
Iowa | 50 | 49 |
New York | 51 | 41 |
*Rank 1 = Decreased Most
**Rank 1 = Fewest
Detailed Findings
State | Change in Unemployment Claims (Latest Week vs. Previous Week)* | Change in Unemployment Claims (Latest Week vs Same Week of 2023)** | Change in Unemployment Claims (Year to Date vs Same Period of 2023)*** | Unemployment Claims per 100,000 People in the Labor Force |
---|---|---|---|---|
South Dakota | -21.18% | -9.46% | 9.92% | 28 |
Arkansas | -23.01% | -18.28% | -52.37% | 72 |
Delaware | -9.95% | -13.48% | -22.11% | 39 |
Louisiana | -15.87% | -12.03% | -13.52% | 68 |
Rhode Island | -65.28% | 24.78% | 0.60% | 146 |
Utah | -17.68% | -7.65% | -26.15% | 76 |
Maine | -22.68% | -3.51% | -3.77% | 80 |
Georgia | -7.37% | -29.08% | -13.23% | 82 |
Indiana | -4.97% | -23.65% | -20.70% | 69 |
New Mexico | -13.43% | 1.04% | -91.51% | 71 |
Virginia | -2.06% | -16.50% | 25.71% | 50 |
Oklahoma | -4.36% | -13.06% | 13.60% | 59 |
Maryland | -12.85% | 1.22% | 30.66% | 62 |
Florida | -8.60% | 3.48% | 3.75% | 52 |
Kentucky | 21.68% | -63.21% | -43.09% | 84 |
South Carolina | -14.10% | -0.93% | 1.72% | 81 |
Mississippi | -5.73% | -9.52% | 3.02% | 75 |
Wyoming | -25.41% | 4.58% | -0.76% | 109 |
North Carolina | -2.23% | -6.66% | 34.94% | 57 |
Nebraska | 4.92% | 5.54% | -78.02% | 51 |
Missouri | -3.27% | -4.94% | 17.83% | 74 |
Alabama | -10.95% | 0.05% | 0.44% | 92 |
Idaho | -9.93% | -0.56% | 4.97% | 90 |
North Dakota | 3.03% | 12.26% | -97.89% | 57 |
Ohio | 3.30% | -8.72% | -44.00% | 83 |
Texas | -8.07% | -0.07% | 0.48% | 93 |
Montana | -4.58% | -4.75% | 11.04% | 94 |
Oregon | -27.75% | -8.21% | 7.67% | 168 |
Connecticut | -31.82% | 14.46% | 2.28% | 151 |
Wisconsin | -2.28% | -10.56% | 2.81% | 112 |
Kansas | 9.09% | -3.30% | 4.65% | 80 |
Minnesota | 3.16% | -4.04% | 6.88% | 101 |
Massachusetts | -41.43% | 61.69% | 21.79% | 125 |
Arizona | -7.89% | -5.75% | 102.11% | 119 |
Hawaii | -5.13% | -10.25% | 3.49% | 146 |
Vermont | 5.07% | -16.17% | -3.59% | 133 |
Washington | -2.99% | 9.06% | 8.62% | 123 |
Michigan | 6.14% | 8.09% | 4.04% | 101 |
Pennsylvania | 2.31% | -4.97% | 13.84% | 137 |
Tennessee | -9.06% | 53.42% | 20.15% | 97 |
District of Columbia | 6.08% | 23.41% | -37.97% | 122 |
California | -10.13% | -6.11% | -5.01% | 208 |
West Virginia | 3.38% | 36.10% | 17.30% | 113 |
Illinois | 17.18% | 0.09% | -4.50% | 134 |
Colorado | -5.05% | 91.67% | 3.10% | 96 |
Nevada | 8.54% | 22.40% | 629.16% | 160 |
New Hampshire | 103.69% | -1.90% | -19.38% | 107 |
Alaska | 37.31% | 46.96% | -4.40% | 259 |
New Jersey | -8.37% | 7.84% | 2093.40% | 165 |
Iowa | 100.39% | 74.48% | 37.69% | 184 |
New York | 2.76% | -1.70% | 2399.95% | 136 |
*Refers to the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of April 22, 2024 compared to the week of April 15, 2024.
**Refers to the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of April 22, 2024 compared to the week of April 24, 2023.
***Refers to the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims between the weeks of January 1, 2024 to April 22, 2024 compared to the weeks of January 2, 2023 to April 24, 2023.
(Latest Week vs Previous Week)
- Biggest Decrease*
- 1. Rhode Island
- 2. Massachusetts
- 3. Connecticut
- 4. Oregon
- 5. Wyoming
- Smallest Decrease*
- 47. Illinois
- 48. Kentucky
- 49. Alaska
- 50. Iowa
- 51. New Hampshire
(Latest Week vs Same Week of 2023)
- Biggest Decrease**
- 1. Kentucky
- 2. Georgia
- 3. Indiana
- 4. Arkansas
- 5. Virginia
- Smallest Decrease**
- 47. Alaska
- 48. Tennessee
- 49. Massachusetts
- 50. Iowa
- 51. Colorado
(Latest Week vs Same Period of 2023)
- Biggest Decrease***
- 1. North Dakota
- 2. New Mexico
- 3. Nebraska
- 4. Arkansas
- 5. Ohio
- Smallest Decrease***
- 47. Iowa
- 48. Arizona
- 49. Nevada
- 50. New Jersey
- 51. New York
- Least Claims per 100,000 People in Labor Force
- 1. South Dakota
- 2. Delaware
- 3. Virginia
- 4. Nebraska
- 5. Florida
- Most Claims per 100,000 People in Labor Force
- 47. New Jersey
- 48. Oregon
- 49. Iowa
- 50. California
- 51. Alaska
*Refers to the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of April 22, 2024 compared to the week of April 15, 2024.
**Refers to the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of April 22, 2024 compared to the week of April 24, 2023.
***Refers to the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims between the weeks of January 1, 2024 to April 22, 2024 compared to the weeks of January 2, 2023 to April 24, 2023.
Blue States vs. Red States
Ask the Experts
To help provide some guidance for Americans who have lost their jobs or are worried about losing them, WalletHub turned to a panel of experts to provide some additional insight. Click on the experts below to view their bios and responses to the following key questions:
- Do you think the hiring dynamic is currently tilted in the employees’ favor?
- With inflation still higher than average, what is your advice for people looking to protect their finances?
- Given the current circumstances, what trends do you expect to see in terms of unemployment in the foreseeable future?
- What are your predictions for the job market as we move forward during 2024 (job gains, hiring confidence, quit rates etc.)?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
In order to identify where unemployment claims are decreasing the most, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on changes in unemployment insurance initial claims for several key weeks. We also considered the number of claims per 100,000 people in the labor force. The metrics are listed below with their corresponding weights. We then used those metrics to rank-order the states.
- Change in Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims in Latest Week vs. Previous Week: Double Weight (~33.33 Points)
Note: This metric measures the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of April 22, 2024 compared to the week of April 15, 2024. - Change in Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims in Latest Week vs. Same Week of 2023: Full Weight (~16.67 Points)
Note: This metric measures the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims in the week of April 22, 2024 compared to the week of April 24, 2023. - Change in Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims Year to Date vs. Same Period of 2023: Double Weight (~33.33 Points)
Note: This metric measures the change in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims between the weeks of January 1, 2024 to April 22, 2024 compared to the weeks of January 2, 2023 to April 24, 2023. - Number of Unemployment Insurance Initial Claims per 100,000 People in Labor Force: Full Weight (~16.67 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor.
WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.