10 Best and Worst States for Job Seekers Right Now

BLS data shows where it’s easiest—and hardest—to land a job, offering a fresh snapshot of state labor markets using the latest unemployment figures and job openings trends.

What The Data Shows

Based on seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for August 2025, states with the lowest joblessness—and thus the strongest odds for job seekers—cluster across the Plains and Mountain West. The 10 lowest rates: South Dakota (1.9%), North Dakota (2.5%), Vermont (2.5%), Hawaii (2.7%), Alabama (2.9%), Montana (2.9%), Nebraska (3.0%), New Hampshire (3.0%), Oklahoma (3.1%), and Wisconsin (3.1%). South Dakota has the nation’s lowest jobless rate at 1.9%.

The highest state unemployment rates tilt toward the West Coast and parts of the Northeast and Midwest. The 10 highest among states: California (5.5%), Nevada (5.3%), Michigan (5.2%), New Jersey (5.0%), Ohio (5.0%), Oregon (5.0%), Massachusetts (4.8%), Alaska (4.7%), Kentucky (4.7%), and Rhode Island (4.6%). Note that Washington, D.C., while not a state, sits above all at 6.0%. California has the highest state jobless rate at 5.5%.

How We Measured

“Best” and “worst” here are defined by the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) state unemployment rates, a simple proxy for how quickly job seekers may find work. Unemployment doesn’t capture everything—industry mix, pay, housing costs, and mobility all matter—but it is the most current, comparable gauge across states.

To round out the picture, BLS’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey shows demand cooling nationally. Job openings were roughly 7.2 million in August 2025, hires and quits eased, and the openings-to-unemployed ratio hovered near parity—signs of a labor market that’s still functioning but less exuberant than in 2022–2023.

What Could Shift Next

The state rankings can move with local industry swings—think tech and entertainment in California or tourism in Hawaii—as well as broader trends in manufacturing, healthcare, and energy. Keep an eye on upcoming BLS releases; the next State Employment and Unemployment report, covering October 2025, is scheduled for November 21, 2025. As new data roll in, pockets of strength (or stress) may rotate across regions.

Bottom line: if you’re job hunting today, the upper Plains and parts of New England look especially tight, while several large coastal economies remain more challenging. Use these figures as a starting point, then drill into your industry and metro-level trends before making a move.

Sources

• Unemployment Rates for States — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (September 19, 2025)
• State Employment and Unemployment — August 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (September 19, 2025)
• Job Openings and Labor Turnover — August 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (September 30, 2025)
• Schedule: State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (November 2025)