Economic Indicators State unemployment by race and ethnicity

With unemployment rates low across the board, the Fed has focused its attention on the other half of its dual mandate, managing inflation. However, the risk of a recession caused by raising rates too high or too quickly suggests a need for caution. Existing disparities even in the midst of lower unemployment rates overall point toward Black and Hispanic workers facing higher rates of job losses in the event of a recession. This makes holding off a recession an equity concern.

Key numbers • 2022 Q3

D.C. Highest Black–white unemployment ratio 6.7-to-1
D.C. Highest Hispanic–white unemployment ratio 2.6-to-1
U.S. Nationwide Black–white unemployment ratio 2.13-to-1
U.S. Nationwide Hispanic–white unemployment ratio 1.5-to-1

2022 Q2 & 2022 Q3 • Updated December 2022

As the Fed pumps the brakes on the economy, Black workers continue to face a challenging labor market

By Kyle K. Moore

EPI analyzes national and state unemployment rates by race and ethnicity, and racial/ethnic unemployment rate gaps on a quarterly basis to generate a consistent sample for creating reliable and precise estimates of unemployment rates by race and ethnicity at the state level.

We report estimates for all states and racial subgroups, flagging those for which constructed unemployment rates are heavily weighted by national-level data (see Methodological note). The following analysis contains data on the second and third quarters of 2022.

Methodological note

EPI has updated its methodology for constructing state-level unemployment rates and ratios by race/ethnicity, with the goal of providing a more consistent set of states for analysis from quarter to quarter. The new methodology uses a longer time horizon of state-level unemployment data from the Current Population Survey (12 months vs. 6 months), and leverages national-level data to better represent state-level race groupings that traditionally have been dropped from the analysis due to low sample size. As a result of this methodological change, reports going forward are not directly comparable with previous reports in this series.

In contrast to previous reports, all states now have listed unemployment rates for each of the four analyzed groups for every quarter. However, those states and demographic groups with typically small sample sizes require a heavier weighting of national-level data to supplement their analysis, and are noted as such with an asterisk (*). The full methodological update is detailed in a new technical report.1

Second-quarter 2022 state unemployment rates, trends, and ratios

Much of the narrative surrounding the labor market in 2022 has been bound to a conversation about the rate of inflation, and the second quarter of 2022 was no exception. The pace of inflation continued to rise, even as the housing market cooled considerably throughout the quarter. The Federal Reserve continued to raise interest rates in an attempt to dampen price increases throughout the economy, even as the economic output contracted for the second consecutive quarter. Despite the increase in the pace of the Fed’s attempts to slow down the already slowing economy, much of the labor market remained strong, with a national unemployment rate at a decades-low 3.6%.

Overall unemployment rates 2022 Q2
  • Highest: D.C. (5.7%), N.M. (5.1%)
  • Lowest: Neb. (1.9%), Utah & Minn. (2%)
  • National: 3.6%

The national unemployment rate does not tell the entire story, however, as Black and Hispanic workers still faced unemployment rates well above the national rate. While these rates were largely in line with their pre-pandemic levels, this does not in and of itself indicate that the labor market for Black and Hispanic workers is now in a good place. In fact, particularly for Black workers, labor market conditions were difficult pre-pandemic and remain so today; greater than 6% unemployment is not considered a tight labor market at the national level, nor should it be considered as such for Black workers. If the economy continues to contract and the Fed continues to attempt to fight inflation by raising interest rates, Black and Hispanic workers could be the ones paying the price in high unemployment in the end as they are often the first to lose employment in the event of an economic downturn.2

Interactive Map

State unemployment rates, by race/ethnicity and overall, 2022 Q2

State All White Black Hispanic AAPI
United States 3.6% 2.9% 6.1% 4.3% 3.2%
Alaska 4.7% 3.1% 7.9%* 5.4%* 3.7%
Alabama 2.7% 2.1% 4.5% 3.2%* 2.4%*
Arkansas 3.2% 2.9% 4.6% 3.8%* 2.9%*
Arizona 3.2% 3.0% 5.0%* 3.7% 2.6%*
California 4.4% 3.6% 8.0% 4.7% 3.8%
Colorado 3.5% 3.0% 6.8%* 3.7% 3.1%*
Connecticut 4.2% 3.8% 6.1%* 6.1% 3.8%*
Washington D.C. 5.7% 2.1% 10.9% 5.6% 5.1%*
Delaware 4.5% 3.6% 7.4% 5.1%* 4.0%*
Florida 2.9% 2.3% 4.2% 3.1% 3.0%*
Georgia 3.0% 2.4% 4.5% 3.0%* 2.7%*
Hawaii 4.1% 5.3% 7.0%* 5.1%* 3.7%
Iowa 2.8% 2.3% 5.6%* 3.8%* 2.5%*
Idaho 2.5% 2.4% 4.3%* 2.8% 2.3%*
Illinois 4.6% 3.5% 10.9% 5.0% 3.3%
Indiana 2.3% 1.9% 4.7% 2.7%* 2.0%*
Kansas 2.4% 2.2% 3.9%* 3.0%* 2.1%*
Kentucky 3.8% 3.5% 6.5% 4.6%* 3.4%*
Louisiana 4.0% 2.7% 6.9% 4.0% 3.6%*
Massachusetts 3.9% 3.3% 4.8% 6.6% 3.9%
Maryland 4.1% 3.7% 4.7% 4.8%* 3.7%*
Maine 3.2% 3.1% 5.3%* 3.8%* 2.8%*
Michigan 4.3% 3.6% 8.0% 5.4% 3.9%*
Minnesota 2.0% 1.6% 3.8%* 2.4%* 1.8%*
Missouri 3.1% 2.6% 6.2% 3.7%* 2.8%*
Mississippi 3.9% 2.9% 5.7% 4.7%* 3.5%*
Montana 2.4% 2.3% 4.1%* 2.9%* 2.2%*
North Carolina 3.4% 2.7% 5.8% 3.2% 3.1%*
North Dakota 2.6% 2.1% 4.3%* 3.2%* 2.4%*
Nebraska 1.9% 1.5% 3.2%* 2.5%* 1.7%*
New Hampshire 2.1% 1.9% 3.6%* 2.6%* 1.9%*
New Jersey 4.0% 3.1% 6.6% 3.8% 4.4%
New Mexico 5.1% 3.4% 7.4%* 5.4% 4.6%*
Nevada 4.9% 4.2% 9.3% 4.0% 5.0%
New York 4.4% 3.3% 7.7% 5.7% 3.9%
Ohio 3.9% 3.4% 6.6% 4.9%* 3.5%*
Oklahoma 2.8% 2.3% 4.6%* 3.3% 2.5%*
Oregon 3.6% 3.0% 6.0%* 5.5% 3.3%*
Pennsylvania 4.6% 3.7% 9.6% 8.6% 4.2%*
Rhode Island 2.9% 2.3% 4.9%* 3.9% 2.6%*
South Carolina 3.3% 2.5% 5.6% 3.9%* 2.9%*
South Dakota 2.3% 1.5% 3.9%* 2.8%* 2.1%*
Tennessee 3.3% 2.6% 6.5% 3.8%* 2.9%*
Texas 4.2% 3.1% 6.2% 5.0% 2.7%
Utah 2.0% 1.8% 3.3%* 2.4% 1.8%*
Virginia 2.9% 2.2% 5.3% 3.4% 2.6%*
Vermont 2.3% 2.2% 3.9%* 2.8%* 2.1%*
Washington 3.9% 3.6% 6.6%* 4.4% 3.2%
Wisconsin 2.9% 2.2% 6.3%* 3.5%* 2.6%*
West Virginia 3.6% 3.4% 5.6%* 4.3%* 3.2%*
Wyoming 3.2% 2.9% 5.4%* 3.6% 2.9%*

Notes: Unemployment rates for each demographic group are produced from a weighted average of state and national unemployment trends. Those states and demographic groups with typically small sample sizes require a heavier weighting of national-level data to supplement their analysis, and are noted as such with an asterisk (*). See Methodology for more detail. AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander.

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data and Current Population Survey (CPS) data.

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Second-quarter 2022 trends among white workers

National-level unemployment for white workers fell to 2.9% in 2022 Q2, lower than the national average and the lowest the unemployment rate has been since before the pandemic; 2019Q2 was the last time white unemployment was as low. Unemployment rates fell as low as 1.5% in Nebraska and South Dakota. The highest unemployment rates for white workers in 2022 Q2 were found in Hawaii (5.3%) and Nevada (4.2%), markets that have yet to recover from the pandemic’s impact on their key tourism and hospitality industries.

White unemployment rates 2022 Q2
  • Highest: Hawaii (5.3%), Nev. (4.2%)
  • Lowest: Neb. & S.D. (1.5%), Minn. (1.6%), Utah (1.8%), Ind. & N.H. (1.9%)
  • National: 2.9%

Second-quarter 2022 trends among Black workers

At the national level, Black workers saw an unemployment rate of 6.1%, just below their pre-pandemic rate of 6.2% in 2020Q1. Several states saw Black unemployment rates dip below the 5% level, though most states had rates above 5%. The Black unemployment rate remained above 10% in D.C. and Illinois, with both at 10.9%.

Black unemployment rates 2022 Q2
  • Highest: D.C. & Ill. (10.9%), Pa. (9.6%), Nev. (9.3%)
  • Lowest: Neb.* (3.2%), Utah* (3.3%), N.H.* (3.6%), Minn.* (3.8%), Kan.*, S.D.* & Vt.* (3.9%), Mont.* (4.1%), Fla. (4.2%), Idaho* & N.D.* (4.3%), Ala. & Ga. (4.5%), Ark. & Okla.* (4.6%), Ind. & Md. (4.7%), Mass. (4.8%)
  • National: 6.1%

The Black–white unemployment ratio remained above 2.0 in 2022 Q2; that is, Black workers nationwide were twice as likely to be unemployed as white workers. D.C. retained its position as having the highest Black–white unemployment ratio, at 5.1, indicating the stark disparities that exist in the labor market realities of Black and white D.C. residents. Once again, neighboring state Maryland had the lowest Black–white unemployment ratio in the country, at 1.26.

Black–white unemployment ratios 2022 Q2
  • Highest: D.C. (5.1)
  • Lowest: Md. (1.26)
  • National: 2.12

Second-quarter 2022 trends among Hispanic workers

The national unemployment level for Hispanic workers in 2022 Q2 was 4.3%, with the highest rates nationwide found in Pennsylvania (8.6%), Massachusetts (6.6%), and Connecticut (6.1%). Most states saw Hispanic unemployment rates below 4% in the second quarter, with several states below 3%. Utah and Minnesota saw the lowest Hispanic unemployment rate, at 2.4%.

Hispanic unemployment rates 2022 Q2
  • Highest: Pa. (8.6%), Mass. (6.6%), Conn. (6.1%)
  • Lowest: Minn.* & Utah (2.4%), Neb.* (2.5%), N.H.* (2.6%), Ind.* (2.7%), Idaho, S.D.* & Vt.* (2.8%), Mont.* (2.9%)
  • National: 4.3%

Hispanic workers were 50% more likely than white workers nationwide to be unemployed (a Hispanic–white unemployment rate of 1.5-to-1). D.C. saw the highest Hispanic–white unemployment ratio in 2022 Q2 as well, with Hispanic workers 2.6 times as likely to be unemployed as white workers in the District. Hawaii saw a Hispanic–white unemployment ratio below 1, meaning Hispanic workers were slightly more likely to be employed than white workers (though the Hispanic workforce in Hawaii is relatively small, implying estimates that are less precise to state-level trends).

Hispanic–white unemployment ratios 2022 Q2
  • Highest: D.C. (2.6)
  • Lowest: Hawaii* (0.95)
  • National: 1.5

Second-quarter 2022 trends among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers

AAPI workers saw a national unemployment rate of 3.2% in 2022 Q2, sitting above the white unemployment rate but below the rates of both Black and Hispanic workers. The AAPI unemployment rate across states ranges as high as 5% in Nevada. The rate is 2.7% or below in Texas and several other states.3

AAPI unemployment rates 2022 Q2
  • Highest: D.C.* (5.1%), Nev. (5.0%), N.M.* (4.6%), N.J. (4.4%), Pa.* (4.2%), Del.* (4.0%), Mass., N.Y. & Mich.* (3.9%), Calif. (3.8%), Alaska & Hawaii (3.7%)
  • Lowest: Neb.* (1.7%), Minn.* & Utah* (1.8%), N.H.* (1.9%), Ind.* (2.0%), Kansas,* S.D.* & Vt.* (2.1%), Mont.* (2.2%), Idaho* (2.3%), Ala.* & N.D.* (2.4%), Iowa* & Okla.* (2.5%), Ariz.,* R.I.,* Va.* & Wis.* (2.6%), Ga.* & Texas (2.7%)
  • National: 3.2%
Table 1

Change in state unemployment rates by race and ethnicity from 2020 Q1 to 2022 Q2 (percentage points)

State All White Black Hispanic AAPI
United States -0.2 -0.3 -0.1 -0.2 0.2
Alaska -0.5 -0.2 -0.6* -0.3* -0.0
Alabama -0.7 -0.9 -0.4 -0.9* -0.3*
Arkansas -0.8 -0.7 -1.8 -0.6* -0.3*
Arizona -1.8 -1.1 -2.8* -1.8 -1.7*
California -0.2 -0.1 1.6 -0.5 -0.2
Colorado 0.1 -0.0 1.7* -0.6 0.4*
Connecticut 0.8 0.7 0.6* 2.0 1.1*
District of Columbia 0.3 0.2 -0.1 1.4 0.8*
Delaware 0.4 0.6 -0.3 0.6* 0.8*
Florida -0.4 -0.3 -2.1 -0.1 0.6*
Georgia -0.6 0.0 -1.4 -1.0* -0.1*
Hawaii 2.0 3.0 3.4* 2.2* 1.8
Iowa 0.2 0.2 0.7* 0.4* 0.4*
Idaho -0.4 -0.3 -0.5* -1.1 -0.0*
Illinois 0.4 0.2 2.3 0.4 0.4
Indiana -1.2 -1.2 -0.2 -1.5* -0.7*
Kansas -0.7 -0.6 -1.5* -0.7* -0.3*
Kentucky -0.3 -0.4 0.3 -0.3* 0.2*
Louisiana -1.8 -1.0 -2.7 -3.3 -0.9*
Massachusetts 1.0 0.5 0.9 2.5 2.3
Maryland -0.1 0.3 -1.1 -0.0* 0.6*
Maine 0.4 0.5 0.8* 0.4* 0.6*
Michigan 0.5 0.3 1.1 0.8 0.9*
Minnesota -1.9 -2.0 -2.4* -2.3* -1.3*
Missouri -0.3 -0.4 0.6 -0.3* 0.1*
Mississippi -1.7 -0.4 -4.2 -2.1* -0.9*
Montana -1.2 -1.1 -1.9* -1.5* -0.7*
North Carolina -0.4 -0.3 0.2 -2.2 0.1*
North Dakota 0.4 0.1 0.6* 0.4* 0.6*
Nebraska -1.5 -1.2 -2.4* -2.0* -1.0*
New Hampshire -0.5 -0.6 -0.8* -0.6* -0.2*
New Jersey 0.5 0.3 1.2 -0.1 1.2
New Mexico -0.5 -0.7 -1.4* -0.9 0.2*
Nevada -0.4 -0.8 0.9 -0.7 0.1
New York 0.5 -0.1 1.5 0.7 2.1
Ohio -0.7 -0.4 -1.6 -1.3* -0.1*
Oklahoma -0.4 -0.3 -0.9* -0.4 0.0*
Oregon 0.1 -0.3 0.4* 1.6 0.3*
Pennsylvania -0.4 -0.5 0.1 1.4 0.2*
Rhode Island -0.7 -0.8 -1.0* -1.6 -0.2*
South Carolina 0.4 -0.0 1.7 0.4* 0.7*
South Dakota -0.3 0.1 -0.4* -0.4* 0.0*
Tennessee -0.3 -0.2 -0.3 -0.3* 0.1*
Texas 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.1 -0.0
Utah -0.6 -0.7 -0.8* -0.4 -0.2*
Virginia 0.2 -0.1 1.5 -0.1 0.3*
Vermont -0.3 -0.4 -0.3* -0.3* 0.1*
Washington -0.4 -0.4 -0.1* -1.1 0.1
Wisconsin -0.1 -0.2 0.4* -0.4* 0.2*
West Virginia -1.6 -1.5 -2.9* -1.9* -0.8*
Wyoming -1.7 -1.3 -2.7* -1.3 -1.0*

Notes: AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander. Unemployment rates for each demographic group are produced from a weighted average of state and national unemployment trends. Those states and demographic groups with typically small sample sizes require a heavier weighting of national-level data to supplement their analysis, and are noted as such with an asterisk (*). See Methodology for more detail. 

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data and Current Population Survey (CPS) data.

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Table 2

Black–white and Hispanic–white state unemployment rate ratios, 2022 Q2

State Black–white ratio Hispanic–white ratio
United States 2.1 1.5
Alaska 2.5* 1.7*
Alabama 2.2 1.5*
Arkansas 1.6 1.3*
Arizona 1.7* 1.3
California 2.2 1.3
Colorado 2.3* 1.2
Connecticut 1.6* 1.6
District of Columbia 5.1 2.6
Delaware 2.1 1.4*
Florida 1.8 1.3
Georgia 1.9 1.2*
Hawaii 1.3* 0.9*
Iowa 2.4* 1.6*
Idaho 1.8* 1.1
Illinois 3.1 1.4
Indiana 2.4 1.4*
Kansas 1.8* 1.4*
Kentucky 1.8 1.3*
Louisiana 2.6 1.5
Massachusetts 1.4 2.0
Maryland 1.3 1.3*
Maine 1.8* 1.2*
Michigan 2.2 1.5
Minnesota 2.4* 1.5*
Missouri 2.4 1.4*
Mississippi 2.0 1.6*
Montana 1.8* 1.3*
North Carolina 2.2 1.2
North Dakota 2.0* 1.5*
Nebraska 2.2* 1.7*
New Hampshire 1.9* 1.3*
New Jersey 2.2 1.2
New Mexico 2.2* 1.6
Nevada 2.2 1.0
New York 2.3 1.7
Ohio 2.0 1.5*
Oklahoma 2.0* 1.4
Oregon 2.0* 1.8
Pennsylvania 2.6 2.3
Rhode Island 2.1* 1.7
South Carolina 2.3 1.6*
South Dakota 2.5* 1.8*
Tennessee 2.5 1.5*
Texas 2.0 1.6
Utah 1.9* 1.4
Virginia 2.4 1.5
Vermont 1.8* 1.3*
Washington 1.8* 1.2
Wisconsin 2.8* 1.6*
West Virginia 1.7* 1.3*
Wyoming 1.8* 1.2

Notes: Unemployment rates for each demographic group are produced from a weighted average of state and national unemployment trends. Those states and demographic groups with typically small sample sizes require a heavier weighting of national-level data to supplement their analysis, and are noted as such with an asterisk (*). See Methodology for more detail. 

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data and Current Population Survey (CPS) data.

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Third-quarter 2022 state unemployment rates, trends, and ratios

The national unemployment rate remained steady through the third quarter of 2022 at 3.6%, continuing to solidify the strong overall labor market. The economy as a whole also grew faster than expected in the third quarter, reversing the previous quarters’ worrying trend of contraction. Inflation continued to increase even as the Fed continued to increase the interest rate at a largely unprecedented pace, with multiple 75-basis-point increases over the course of the quarter. This policy of tightening may not be an effective way to counter a global inflationary trend.

Overall unemployment rates 2022 Q3
  • Highest: D.C. (5.0%)
  • Lowest: Minn. (1.9%), Utah (2.0%)
  • National: 3.6%

Black and Hispanic workers tend only to reap the benefits of a strengthening labor market well into an economic recovery. Only in recent quarters has the Black unemployment rate begun to approach the levels reached in the quarters before the pandemic, and even then, the rates were higher than what would be considered tight for the country. Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act in August, a legislative attempt to slow the pace of price increases over the short and longer term. The investments contained therein would reduce costs in ways that do not threaten a recession in the ways that contractionary monetary policy could. The current disparities in our strong labor market are a sign that structural changes need to be made to achieve widespread labor market parity across groups.

Interactive Map

State unemployment rates, by race/ethnicity and overall, 2022Q3

State All White Black Hispanic AAPI
Alaska 4.5% 2.9% 7.7%* 4.9%* 3.4%
Alabama 2.6% 2.1% 4.2% 3.1%* 2.2%*
Arkansas 3.4% 3.1% 4.9% 3.9%* 2.9%*
Arizona 3.5% 3.2% 5.4%* 4.0% 2.7%*
California 3.9% 3.4% 7.0% 4.2% 3.4%
Colorado 3.4% 3.0% 6.4%* 3.4% 2.9%*
Connecticut 3.9% 3.3% 6.1%* 5.7% 3.4%*
Washington D.C. 5.0% 1.5% 10.1% 4.0% 4.3%*
Delaware 4.4% 3.4% 7.4% 5.1%* 3.8%*
Florida 2.6% 2.1% 3.9% 2.7% 2.5%*
Georgia 2.8% 2.1% 4.5% 2.8%* 2.4%*
Hawaii 3.8% 4.9% 6.5%* 4.7%* 3.4%
Iowa 2.6% 2.3% 5.2%* 3.4%* 2.2%*
Idaho 2.7% 2.6% 4.6%* 3.0% 2.3%*
Illinois 4.5% 3.4% 10.9% 4.8% 3.1%
Indiana 2.7% 2.3% 5.4% 3.2%* 2.4%*
Kansas 2.5% 2.3% 4.1%* 3.1%* 2.2%*
Kentucky 3.8% 3.5% 5.9% 4.5%* 3.3%*
Louisiana 3.5% 2.5% 6.0% 3.7% 3.0%*
Massachusetts 3.5% 3.1% 3.9% 5.6% 3.2%
Maryland 4.1% 3.4% 5.1% 4.8%* 3.5%*
Maine 3.1% 2.9% 5.2%* 3.6%* 2.6%*
Michigan 4.1% 3.5% 7.7% 4.8% 3.6%*
Minnesota 1.9% 1.4% 3.6%* 2.2%* 1.6%*
Missouri 2.5% 2.1% 4.3% 2.9%* 2.1%*
Mississippi 3.6% 2.6% 5.5% 4.3%* 3.1%*
Montana 2.8% 2.7% 4.8%* 3.3%* 2.4%*
North Carolina 3.5% 2.6% 6.6% 2.7% 3.0%*
North Dakota 2.3% 1.9% 3.6%* 2.7%* 2.0%*
Nebraska 2.1% 1.6% 3.6%* 2.8%* 1.8%*
New Hampshire 2.1% 1.9% 3.5%* 2.4%* 1.8%*
New Jersey 3.7% 2.9% 6.2% 3.7% 3.4%
New Mexico 4.4% 2.9% 6.8%* 4.3% 3.8%*
Nevada 4.4% 3.8% 8.5% 3.8% 4.1%
New York 4.4% 3.2% 8.2% 5.9% 3.8%
Ohio 4.0% 3.4% 6.5% 4.7%* 3.4%*
Oklahoma 3.1% 2.5% 5.3%* 3.4% 2.6%*
Oregon 3.7% 3.1% 6.2%* 6.1% 3.1%*
Pennsylvania 4.2% 3.4% 8.0% 7.5% 3.6%*
Rhode Island 2.9% 2.3% 4.9%* 3.8% 2.5%*
South Carolina 3.2% 2.5% 5.2% 3.7%* 2.7%*
South Dakota 2.3% 1.6% 3.9%* 2.7%* 2.0%*
Tennessee 3.4% 2.7% 6.7% 3.9%* 2.9%*
Texas 4.0% 3.0% 6.1% 4.8% 2.6%
Utah 2.0% 1.8% 3.5%* 2.6% 1.8%*
Virginia 2.6% 1.9% 4.6% 3.3% 2.2%*
Vermont 2.1% 2.0% 3.6%* 2.5%* 1.8%*
Washington 3.7% 3.3% 6.3%* 4.8% 3.0%
Wisconsin 3.1% 2.6% 6.3%* 3.6%* 2.7%*
West Virginia 3.9% 3.6% 6.5%* 4.6%* 3.3%*
Wyoming 3.1% 2.8% 5.3%* 3.4% 2.7%*
United States 3.6%* 2.9%* 6.1%* 4.2%* 3.1%*

Notes: Unemployment rates for each demographic group are produced from a weighted average of state and national unemployment trends. Those states and demographic groups with typically small sample sizes require a heavier weighting of national-level data to supplement their analysis, and are noted as such with an asterisk (*). See Methodology for more detail. AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander.

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data and Current Population Survey (CPS) data.

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Third-quarter 2022 trends among white workers

In 2022 Q3 the white unemployment rate remained at 2.9%, the lowest among the groups considered for this report and below the pre-pandemic rate. White workers saw their highest unemployment rate in Hawaii, at 4.9%; this is the only state in which the white unemployment rate came close to 5% in the third quarter. Unemployment rates for white workers in 2022 Q3 fell below 2% in seven states, as well as in D.C.

White unemployment rates 2022 Q3
  • Highest: Hawaii (4.9%)
  • Lowest: Minn. (1.4%), D.C. (1.5%), Neb. & S.D. (1.6%), Utah (1.8%), N.H., N.D. & Va. (1.9%)
  • National: 2.9%

Third-quarter 2022 trends among Black workers

The national Black unemployment rate was similarly stable through the third quarter of 2022, remaining at 6.1%. Unemployment rates exceeded 10% in Illinois and D.C. (10.9% and 10.1% respectively), though most states had unemployment rates that exceeded 5%. A handful of states had unemployment rates that were 4% and below, though many of these states have small Black workforces (the smaller sample sizes imply estimates that are less precise to state-level trends); Massachusetts (3.9%) and Florida (3.9%) were two states with sizeable Black workforces and relatively low Black unemployment rates.

Black unemployment rates 2022 Q3
  • Highest: Ill. (10.9%), D.C. (10.1%), Nev. (8.5%), N.Y. (8.2%), Pa. (8.0%)
  • Lowest: N.H.* & Utah* (3.5%), Minn.*, Neb.*, N.D.* & Vt.* (3.6%), Fla., Mass. & S.D.* (3.9%)
  • National: 6.1%

The Black–white unemployment ratio also remained largely stable through 2022 Q3, with Black workers nationwide still over twice as likely to be unemployed as compared with white workers (a Black–white unemployment ratio of 2.13-to-1). D.C. once again had the largest Black–white unemployment ratio at 6.7, while Massachusetts reported the lowest ratio at 1.25. The rise in D.C.’s ratio is driven by a steep drop in unemployment for white workers that was not matched by an attendant improvement for Black workers. Again, there are no states in the country in which Black and white workers are equally likely to face unemployment.

Black–white unemployment ratios 2022 Q3
  • Highest: D.C. (6.7)
  • Lowest: Mass. (1.25)
  • National: 2.13

Third-quarter 2022 trends among Hispanic workers

Nationwide the Hispanic unemployment rate was 4.2% in 2022 Q3, the lowest that rate has been since 2019. Pennsylvania had the highest Hispanic unemployment rate in the third quarter at 7.5%, though more states had unemployment rates below 4% than above. Several states had Hispanic unemployment rates below 3%, including Vermont (2.5%), North Carolina (2.7%), and Florida (2.7%).

Hispanic unemployment rates 2022 Q3
  • Highest: Pa. (7.5%), Ore. (6.1%), N.Y. (5.9%), Conn. (5.7%), Mass. (5.6%)
  • Lowest: Minn.* (2.2%), N.H.* (2.4%), Vt. (2.5%), Utah (2.6%), Fla., N.C., N.D.* & S.D.* (2.7%), Ga.* & Neb.* (2.8%)
  • National: 4.2%

The Hispanic–white unemployment ratio remained steady at 1.5-to-1 in 2022 Q3. D.C. once again had the highest Hispanic–white unemployment ratio at 2.6-to-1. Hawaii (0.96), Nevada (1.02), and North Carolina (1.04) were the states with the lowest Hispanic–white unemployment ratios. (These ratios are rounded to 1.0 in Table 4.)

Hispanic–white unemployment ratios 2022 Q3
  • Highest: D.C. (2.62)
  • Lowest: Hawaii* (0.96), Nev. (1.02), N.C. (1.04)
  • National: 1.5

Third-quarter 2022 trends among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers

In 2022 Q3 the AAPI unemployment rate fell to 3.1%, below the national average though still slightly above that of white workers. Unemployment rates for AAPI workers ranged from as high as 4.3% in D.C., to 3% and below in states like Washington (3%) and Texas (2.6%). Other states with much smaller AAPI worker populations saw rates below 2%.

AAPI unemployment rates 2022 Q3
  • Highest: D.C.* (4.3%), Nev. (4.1%), N.M.*, Del.* & N.Y. (3.8%), Mich.* & Pa.* (3.6%), Md.* (3.5%), Alaska, Calif., Conn.*, Hawaii, N.J. & Ohio* (3.4%)
  • Lowest: Minn.* (1.6%), Neb.*, N.H.*, Utah* & Vt. (1.8%)
  • National: 3.1%
Table 3

Change in state unemployment rates by race and ethnicity from 2020 Q1 to 2022 Q3 (percentage points)

State All White Black Hispanic AAPI
United States -0.2 -0.3 -0.1 -0.3 0.1
Alaska -0.7 -0.4 -0.8* -0.8* -0.3
Alabama -0.8 -0.9 -0.7 -1.0* -0.5*
Arkansas -0.6 -0.5 -1.5 -0.5* -0.2*
Arizona -1.5 -0.9 -2.4* -1.5 -1.6*
California -0.6 -0.3 0.6 -1.0 -0.7
Colorado -0.1 -0.1 1.3* -0.9 0.2*
Connecticut 0.5 0.3 0.6* 1.7 0.7*
District of Columbia -0.4 -0.4 -0.9 -0.2 0.1*
Delaware 0.3 0.4 -0.4 0.6* 0.5*
Florida -0.7 -0.5 -2.3 -0.5 0.2*
Georgia -0.8 -0.3 -1.4 -1.2* -0.4*
Hawaii 1.7 2.5 3.0* 1.8* 1.4
Iowa 0.0 0.1 0.3* 0.1* 0.2*
Idaho -0.2 -0.2 -0.2* -0.8 0.0*
Illinois 0.3 0.1 2.3 0.2 0.2
Indiana -0.7 -0.8 0.5 -1.0* -0.3*
Kansas -0.6 -0.6 -1.2* -0.6* -0.3*
Kentucky -0.3 -0.5 -0.3 -0.4* 0.1*
Louisiana -2.2 -1.2 -3.6 -3.7 -1.5*
Massachusetts 0.6 0.4 0.0 1.4 1.6
Maryland -0.1 0.0 -0.6 0.1* 0.4*
Maine 0.3 0.4 0.6* 0.3* 0.4*
Michigan 0.3 0.1 0.8 0.3 0.6*
Minnesota -2.0 -2.2 -2.7* -2.4* -1.4*
Missouri -0.9 -0.9 -1.2 -1.1* -0.5*
Mississippi -2.1 -0.6 -4.4 -2.5* -1.3*
Montana -0.9 -0.7 -1.2* -1.1* -0.5*
North Carolina -0.3 -0.4 1.0 -2.7 0.1*
North Dakota 0.0 -0.1 -0.1* -0.0* 0.2*
Nebraska -1.3 -1.1 -2.0* -1.7* -0.9*
New Hampshire -0.6 -0.6 -0.8* -0.7* -0.3*
New Jersey 0.2 0.2 0.8 -0.3 0.2
New Mexico -1.2 -1.2 -2.1* -1.9 -0.6*
Nevada -0.9 -1.2 0.1 -0.8 -0.9
New York 0.5 -0.2 2.0 0.9 2.1
Ohio -0.7 -0.3 -1.7 -1.4* -0.2*
Oklahoma -0.1 -0.1 -0.2* -0.4 0.2*
Oregon 0.2 -0.1 0.6* 2.2 0.1*
Pennsylvania -0.8 -0.8 -1.4 0.3 -0.3*
Rhode Island -0.8 -0.8 -1.1* -1.7 -0.4*
South Carolina 0.3 -0.0 1.3 0.3* 0.5*
South Dakota -0.3 0.1 -0.3* -0.4* -0.1*
Tennessee -0.2 -0.2 -0.2 -0.2* 0.1*
Texas 0.0 0.2 0.0 -0.1 -0.1
Utah -0.5 -0.7 -0.7* -0.2 -0.2*
Virginia -0.1 -0.3 0.9 -0.2 -0.0*
Vermont -0.5 -0.6 -0.7* -0.6* -0.2*
Washington -0.7 -0.6 -0.4* -0.7 -0.2
Wisconsin 0.1 0.2 0.5* -0.2* 0.3*
West Virginia -1.3 -1.2 -2.0* -1.6* -0.7*
Wyoming -1.8 -1.4 -2.7* -1.5 -1.2*

Notes: AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander. Unemployment rates for each demographic group are produced from a weighted average of state and national unemployment trends. Those states and demographic groups with typically small sample sizes require a heavier weighting of national-level data to supplement their analysis, and are noted as such with an asterisk (*). See Methodology for more detail. 

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data and Current Population Survey (CPS) data.

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Table 4

Black–white and Hispanic–white state unemployment rate ratios, 2022 Q3

State Black–white ratio Hispanic–white ratio
United States 2.1 1.5
Alaska 2.7* 1.7*
Alabama 2.0 1.5*
Arkansas 1.5 1.2*
Arizona 1.7* 1.3
California 2.1 1.3
Colorado 2.2* 1.2
Connecticut 1.8* 1.7
District of Columbia 6.7 2.6
Delaware 2.2 1.5*
Florida 1.8 1.3
Georgia 2.1 1.3*
Hawaii 1.3* 1.0*
Iowa 2.3* 1.5*
Idaho 1.8* 1.2
Illinois 3.2 1.4
Indiana 2.3 1.4*
Kansas 1.8* 1.4*
Kentucky 1.7 1.3*
Louisiana 2.4 1.5
Massachusetts 1.3 1.8
Maryland 1.5 1.4*
Maine 1.8* 1.2*
Michigan 2.2 1.4
Minnesota 2.5* 1.6*
Missouri 2.0 1.4*
Mississippi 2.1 1.6*
Montana 1.7* 1.2*
North Carolina 2.5 1.0
North Dakota 1.9* 1.4*
Nebraska 2.2* 1.7*
New Hampshire 1.9* 1.3*
New Jersey 2.1 1.3
New Mexico 2.3* 1.5
Nevada 2.3 1.0
New York 2.6 1.8
Ohio 1.9 1.4*
Oklahoma 2.1* 1.3
Oregon 2.0* 1.9
Pennsylvania 2.4 2.2
Rhode Island 2.2* 1.7
South Carolina 2.1 1.5*
South Dakota 2.4* 1.7*
Tennessee 2.5 1.5*
Texas 2.1 1.6
Utah 2.0* 1.5
Virginia 2.4 1.7
Vermont 1.8* 1.2*
Washington 1.9* 1.4
Wisconsin 2.4* 1.4*
West Virginia 1.8* 1.3*
Wyoming 1.9* 1.2

Notes: Unemployment rates for each demographic group are produced from a weighted average of state and national unemployment trends. Those states and demographic groups with typically small sample sizes require a heavier weighting of national-level data to supplement their analysis, and are noted as such with an asterisk (*). See Methodology for more detail. 

Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data and Current Population Survey (CPS) data.

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Methodology

The unemployment rate estimates in this report are based on the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and the Current Population Survey (CPS) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The overall state unemployment rate is taken directly from the LAUS. CPS 12-month ratios are applied to LAUS data to calculate the rates by race and ethnicity. For each state subgroup, we calculate the unemployment rate using the past 12 months of CPS data. We then find the ratio of this subgroup rate to the state (or national) unemployment rate using the same period of CPS data. This gives us an estimate of how the subgroup compares with the state overall.

We also leverage national-level data to construct weighted unemployment ratios, utilizing a greater share of national-level data for states with a high amount of volatility in race/ethnicity sample sizes. This allows for more consistent reporting of unemployment rates for Black, Hispanic, and AAPI workers. For more detail on our methodology, see the technical piece here.

Notes

1. Marokey Sawo and Daniel Perez, Detailing the New Methodology Behind EPI’s Quarterly State Unemployment Rates by Race and Ethnicity Series, Economic Policy Institute, December 2022.

2. Monée Fields-White, Vivian Graubard, Alberto Rodríguez, Nikki Zeichner, and Cassandra Robertson, “Last Hired, First Fired: Black, Latinx Workers and the Fight for Jobs,” in Unpacking Inequities in Unemployment Insurance (New America), last updated September 17, 2020.

3. We focus particularly on Nevada and Texas in this discussion, as these states have larger sample sizes of AAPI workers (relative to the asterisked states) and therefore the unemployment rate estimates for these states are more precise to state-level trends. See the Methodology for more information about how the state-level estimates are constructed.