State Unemployment by Race and Ethnicity

Strong labor market, largely consistent gaps in unemployment across groups

Key numbers • 2024 Q1

D.C. Highest Black-white unemployment ratio 4.2-to-1
Wyo. Highest Hispanic-white unemployment ratio 2.3-to-1
U.S. National Black-white unemployment ratio 2.0-to-1
U.S. National Hispanic-white unemployment ratio 1.6-to-1

2024 Q1 • Updated May 2024

The first quarter of 2024 saw another strong and stable labor market with consistent gaps in unemployment across race  

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 to create reliable and precise estimates of unemployment rates by race and ethnicity at the state level.

We report estimates for all states and subgroups, flagging those for which constructed unemployment rates are heavily weighted by national–level data with an asterisk (*) (see Methodological note). The following analysis contains data on the first quarter of 2024. 

Methodological note

As of 2022 Q2, 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 in this series from 2022 Q2 forward are not directly comparable with reports prior to 2022 Q2. 

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 our technical report.1

First-quarter 2024 state unemployment rates, trends, and ratios 

Record high Black and Hispanic employment-to-population ratios, lower-than-expected growth, and moderate inflation

Though the economy grew more slowly than expected over the first quarter of 2024, the labor market remained strong with relatively low unemployment rates overall and across groups. The national unemployment rate rose slightly from 3.7% in the previous quarter to 3.8. California and Nevada had the highest unemployment rates at 5.3% and 5.2% respectively, while North and South Dakota had the lowest rates at 2.0% and 2.1% respectively.

Recent EPI analysis has shown that Black and Hispanic employment reached an all-time high through the end of 2023, accompanied by faster wage growth over the past four years. This is yet another testament to the power of long recoveries to bring more people into the labor market and to move us toward equity. That said, structural features of the labor market like occupational segregation and inadequate support for antidiscrimination enforcement still serve as barriers to reaching equity in unemployment rates across groups and across states.

Overall unemployment rates 2024 Q1

Highest: Calif. (5.3%),  Nev. (5.2%)

Lowest:  N.D. (2.0%) S.D. (2.1%)

National: 3.8%

Increasing costs of transportation, insurance, and housing contributed to rising inflation over the first quarter; these are not indicative of a need to raise interest rates and “cool down” the economy, however. Addressing these sources of inflation may require a fiscal policy approach, such as addressing the housing affordability crisis through more construction and changes to zoning laws, rather than tightening monetary policy. The Fed’s policy should instead be directed at continuing to support the tight labor market, so that workers and their families can keep the economy afloat through consumption as they largely have since the recovery from the pandemic recession.

Interactive Map

State unemployment rates, by race/ethnicity and overall, 2024 Q1

State All White Black Hispanic AAPI
United States 3.8% 3.1% 6.0% 4.7% 3.2%
Alabama 3.0% 2.5% 4.3% 3.7%* 2.5%*
Alaska 4.6% 2.5% 7.2%* 5.3%* 3.6%
Arizona 4.0% 3.5% 6.2%* 4.3% 3.3%*
Arkansas 3.6% 3.0% 5.8% 4.5%* 3.0%*
California 5.3% 4.8% 8.1% 5.8% 4.0%
Colorado 3.5% 3.0% 5.8%* 4.5% 3.0%*
Connecticut 4.5% 4.1% 6.7%* 5.6% 3.8%*
Delaware 4.0% 3.4% 5.2% 4.9%* 3.4%*
Florida 3.1% 2.6% 5.0% 3.2% 2.3%*
Georgia 3.1% 2.0% 5.2% 3.3%* 2.6%*
Hawaii 3.1% 3.1% 4.9%* 3.9%* 2.9%
Idaho 3.3% 2.9% 5.2%* 4.5% 2.8%*
Illinois 4.8% 4.0% 9.4% 4.7% 3.6%
Indiana 3.5% 2.7% 5.8% 4.9%* 3.0%*
Iowa 3.0% 2.4% 5.5%* 3.8%* 2.5%*
Kansas 2.7% 2.3% 4.3%* 3.4%* 2.2%*
Kentucky 4.4% 3.2% 10.4% 5.5%* 3.7%*
Louisiana 4.2% 3.2% 5.8% 5.1% 3.6%*
Maine 3.4% 3.2% 5.3%* 4.2%* 2.8%*
Maryland 2.4% 1.7% 3.3% 3.0%* 2.2%*
Massachusetts 2.9% 2.6% 4.5% 4.1% 2.7%
Michigan 3.9% 3.5% 6.1% 4.7% 3.3%*
Minnesota 2.7% 2.4% 4.1%* 3.4%* 2.3%*
Mississippi 3.1% 2.5% 4.0% 3.9%* 2.6%*
Missouri 3.3% 2.8% 5.7% 4.1%* 2.8%*
Montana 3.3% 2.8% 5.2%* 4.2%* 2.8%*
Nebraska 2.5% 2.0% 3.9%* 3.2%* 2.1%*
Nevada 5.2% 4.4% 7.2% 5.2% 5.4%
New Hampshire 2.6% 2.7% 4.1%* 3.2%* 2.2%*
New Jersey 4.8% 4.1% 8.0% 4.7% 4.4%
New Mexico 3.9% 3.1% 5.6%* 3.8% 3.3%*
New York 4.4% 3.2% 7.6% 6.6% 3.0%
North Carolina 3.5% 2.6% 6.1% 3.6% 3.0%*
North Dakota 2.0% 1.6% 3.2%* 2.5%* 1.7%*
Ohio 3.7% 3.0% 7.8% 4.9%* 3.1%*
Oklahoma 3.5% 3.1% 6.0%* 4.2% 3.0%*
Oregon 4.2% 4.0% 6.5%* 5.2% 3.4%*
Pennsylvania 3.4% 2.8% 5.7% 5.9% 2.9%*
Rhode Island 3.8% 3.5% 6.0%* 4.9% 3.2%*
South Carolina 3.1% 2.2% 4.7% 3.8%* 2.6%*
South Dakota 2.1% 1.8% 3.3%* 2.6%* 1.8%*
Tennessee 3.3% 2.8% 5.0% 4.3%* 2.8%*
Texas 3.9% 2.8% 5.8% 4.5% 2.6%
Utah 2.8% 2.3% 4.4%* 3.8% 2.4%*
Vermont 2.3% 2.2% 3.6%* 2.8%* 1.9%*
Virginia 3.0% 2.5% 4.3% 3.8% 2.4%*
Washington 4.7% 4.6% 6.8%* 6.9% 3.3%
Washington D.C. 5.1% 2.3% 9.8% 4.9% 4.3%*
West Virginia 4.3% 4.2% 7.4%* 5.4%* 3.6%*
Wisconsin 3.1% 2.3% 6.0%* 4.4%* 2.6%*
Wyoming 2.8% 2.2% 4.4%* 5.2% 2.4%*

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. See methodological note 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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First-quarter 2024 trends among white workers 

California remained one of the states with the highest white unemployment rates in the country at 4.8%, with Washington state close behind at 4.6%. Eight states had white unemployment rates that were 4% or higher in the first quarter. North Dakota (1.6%), Maryland (1.7%), and South Dakota (1.8%) were the three states with the lowest white unemployment rates and the only states with rates below 2% this quarter. The national white unemployment rate rose slightly from 3.0% in the previous quarter to 3.1%.

White unemployment rates 2024 Q1

Highest: Calif. (4.8%), Wash.(4.6%)

Lowest: N.D. (1.6%) , Md. (1.7%), S.D. (1.8%)

National: 3.1%

First-quarter 2024 trends among Black workers 

Kentucky was the only state with a Black unemployment rate above 10% this quarter, at 10.4%, though D.C. remained just under 10% at 9.8%. Black unemployment rose slightly in Maryland from 2.7% in the previous quarter to 3.3%, though Maryland remained the state with the lowest unemployment rate for Black workers among those states with large enough sample sizes for precise estimates. North and South Dakota also had low Black unemployment rates at 3.2% and 3.3% respectively, though those states have relatively small Black sample sizes, making those estimates less precise. The national Black unemployment rate rose slightly from 5.8% in 2023 Q4 to 6.0%.

Black unemployment rates 2024 Q1

Highest: Ky. (10.4%), D.C. (9.8%)

Lowest: N.D.* (3.2%), Md. (3.3%), S.D.* (3.3%)

National: 6.0%

The national Black-white unemployment ratio for 2024 Q1 remained stable at 2-to-1, demonstrating that despite the overall strength of the economy, Black workers are still twice as likely to be unemployed as their white counterparts. D.C. also maintained the highest Black-white unemployment ratio in the country, though that rate fell once again from 4.7-to-1 in the previous quarter to 4.2-to-1. Delaware once again had the lowest Black-white unemployment ratio at 1.5-to-1, meaning that there were still no states where Black and white workers were equally likely to be unemployed.

Black-white unemployment ratios 2024 Q1

Highest: D.C. (4.2-to-1)

Lowest: Del. (1.5-to-1)

National: 2.0-to-1

First-quarter 2024 trends among Hispanic workers

Both Washington state and New York had Hispanic unemployment rates above 6% in the first quarter of 2024, at 6.9% and 6.6% respectively, with Washington seeing a significant increase of 1.4% percentage points over the previous quarter. North and South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rates for Hispanic workers, though those are states with small Hispanic sample sizes, reducing the precision of estimates. Among those states with large enough sample sizes for precise estimates, Florida had the lowest Hispanic unemployment rate at 3.2%. The national Hispanic unemployment rate fell slightly from 4.8% in the previous quarter to 4.7%.

Hispanic unemployment rates 2024 Q1

Highest: Wash. (6.9%), N.Y. (6.6%)

Lowest: N.D.* (2.5%), S.D.* (2.6%), Fla. (3.2%)

National: 4.7%

The nationwide Hispanic-white unemployment ratio remained at 1.6-to-1 in the first quarter of 2024, meaning Hispanic workers were 60% more likely to be unemployed across the country than their white counterparts. Once again, Wyoming had the highest Hispanic-white unemployment ratio among the states at 2.3-to-1. The number of states where the Hispanic-white unemployment ratio fell to 1.2-to-1 increased from just three in the previous quarter to eight states, though there were still no states where Hispanic and white workers were equally likely to be unemployed.

Hispanic-white unemployment ratios 2024 Q1

Highest: Wyo. (2.3-to-1)

Lowest: Ariz., Calif., Fla., Ill., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.M. (1.2-to-1)

National: 1.6-to-1

First-quarter 2024 trends among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers

The AAPI unemployment rate was highest in Nevada once again for the first quarter of 2024 at 5.4%. This was slightly higher than the previous quarter’s rate of 5.0%. Unemployment rates for this group are gradually increasing. In previous quarters, the number of states with an AAPI unemployment rate below 3% was 43 (2023 Q3) and then 35 (2023 Q4). In the first quarter of 2024, this number dropped to 27.  As with most groups in the first quarter, North and South Dakota had the lowest reported unemployment rates for AAPI workers (1.7% and 1.8% respectively), though the sample sizes were too small to provide precise estimates for those rates. Texas was once again the state with the lowest AAPI unemployment rate among those with sample sizes large enough to provide precise estimates, slightly above the previous quarter’s 2.3%, at 2.6%. The national unemployment rate for AAPI workers also rose slightly from 3.1% in 2023 Q4 to 3.2% in the first quarter of 2024.

AAPI unemployment rates 2024 Q1

Highest: Nev. (5.4%)

Lowest: N.D.* (1.7%), S.D.* (1.8%), Texas (2.6%)

National: 3.2%

Table 1

Change in state unemployment rates by race and ethnicity from 2020 Q1 to 2024 Q1 (percentage points)

State All White Black Hispanic AAPI
United States -0.0 -0.1 -0.3 0.2 0.2
Alabama -0.3 -0.3 -0.5 -0.2* -0.1*
Alaska -0.9 -1.0 -1.7* -0.7* -0.3
Arizona -0.8 -0.5 -1.3* -1.0 -0.9*
Arkansas -0.4 -0.6 -0.6 0.2* -0.1*
California 0.5 1.0 1.5 0.3 -0.1
Colorado 0.4 0.2 1.2* 0.5 0.5*
Connecticut 0.6 0.6 0.5* 1.0 0.8*
Delaware -0.1 0.5 -2.4 0.5* 0.2*
District of Columbia -0.6 0.3 -1.8 0.6 -0.2*
Florida -0.2 -0.1 -1.3 -0.1 -0.0*
Georgia -0.5 -0.4 -0.7 -0.7* -0.2*
Hawaii 0.9 0.8 1.3* 1.1* 1.0
Idaho 0.5 0.3 0.7* 0.9 0.6*
Illinois 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.0 0.6
Indiana 0.1 -0.4 1.0 0.8* 0.3*
Iowa 0.3 0.2 0.5* 0.4* 0.4*
Kansas -0.4 -0.5 -1.0* -0.2* -0.2*
Kentucky 0.3 -0.8 4.1 0.5* 0.5*
Louisiana -1.2 -0.2 -3.2 -1.8 -0.7*
Maine 0.2 0.3 0.0* 0.4* 0.3*
Maryland -1.0 -1.1 -1.4 -0.9* -0.3*
Massachusetts -0.1 -0.3 0.6 -0.1 1.0
Michigan 0.2 0.2 -0.6 0.3 0.4*
Minnesota -0.8 -0.9 -1.5* -0.8* -0.5*
Mississippi -2.7 -0.8 -6.0 -3.0* -1.9*
Missouri -0.1 -0.3 0.1 0.0* 0.1*
Montana -0.2 -0.5 -0.5* -0.1* 0.0*
Nebraska -1.0 -0.7 -1.7* -1.3* -0.6*
Nevada -0.1 -0.7 -1.3 0.5 0.4
New Hampshire 0.0 0.2 -0.2* 0.1* 0.1*
New Jersey 0.7 0.8 1.5 -0.0 0.7
New Mexico -1.5 -0.9 -3.0* -2.2 -1.0*
New York 0.3 -0.4 1.1 1.3 1.1
North Carolina -0.4 -0.4 0.3 -2.0 -0.1*
North Dakota -0.2 -0.3 -0.3* -0.2* -0.1*
Ohio -0.9 -0.7 -0.4 -1.2* -0.5*
Oklahoma 0.4 0.5 0.5* 0.4 0.5*
Oregon 0.6 0.6 0.7* 1.1 0.2*
Pennsylvania -1.3 -1.1 -3.2 -0.9 -0.8*
Rhode Island 0.2 0.4 0.0* -0.7 0.4*
South Carolina 0.1 -0.3 0.8 0.3* 0.3*
South Dakota -0.4 0.3 -0.8* -0.4* -0.2*
Tennessee -0.2 0.0 -1.6 0.3* 0.1*
Texas -0.1 0.0 -0.3 -0.4 -0.2
Utah 0.3 -0.2 0.3* 1.1 0.4*
Vermont 0.1 0.1 0.0* 0.2* 0.2*
Virginia 0.0 0.0 0.2 -0.0 -0.1*
Washington 0.5 0.8 0.4* 1.5 0.2
West Virginia -1.0 -0.9 -1.4* -1.0* -0.6*
Wisconsin 0.0 -0.1 0.1* 0.4* 0.2*
Wyoming -1.8 -1.7 -3.1* 0.6 -1.3*

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 methodological note 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, 2024 Q1

State Black-white ratio Hispanic-white ratio
United States 2.0 1.6
Alabama 1.7 1.5*
Alaska 2.9* 2.1*
Arizona 1.8* 1.2
Arkansas 2.0 1.5*
California 1.7 1.2
Colorado 1.9* 1.5
Connecticut 1.7* 1.4
Delaware 1.5 1.4*
District of Columbia 4.2 2.1
Florida 1.9 1.2
Georgia 2.6 1.7*
Hawaii 1.6* 1.3*
Idaho 1.8* 1.6
Illinois 2.4 1.2
Indiana 2.1 1.8*
Iowa 2.3* 1.6*
Kansas 1.9* 1.5*
Kentucky 3.3 1.7*
Louisiana 1.8 1.6
Maine 1.6* 1.3*
Maryland 1.9 1.7*
Massachusetts 1.8 1.6
Michigan 1.7 1.4
Minnesota 1.7* 1.4*
Mississippi 1.6 1.5*
Missouri 2.1 1.5*
Montana 1.9* 1.5*
Nebraska 2.0* 1.6*
Nevada 1.6 1.2
New Hampshire 1.5* 1.2*
New Jersey 2.0 1.2
New Mexico 1.8* 1.2
New York 2.4 2.1
North Carolina 2.3 1.4
North Dakota 2.0* 1.5*
Ohio 2.6 1.6*
Oklahoma 1.9* 1.4
Oregon 1.6* 1.3
Pennsylvania 2.0 2.1
Rhode Island 1.7* 1.4
South Carolina 2.1 1.7*
South Dakota 1.9* 1.5*
Tennessee 1.8 1.6*
Texas 2.1 1.6
Utah 1.9* 1.7
Vermont 1.6* 1.3*
Virginia 1.7 1.5
Washington 1.5* 1.5
West Virginia 1.8* 1.3*
Wisconsin 2.6* 1.9*
Wyoming 2.0* 2.3

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 methodological note 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 rates are 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 report.

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.

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