To highlight not just how labor force statistics can vary between demographic groups, but also the pattern of these differences across the country, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the latest annual unemployment statistics by race and ethnicity in every state.
Whites made up 79% of the labor force in 2015. White members of the U.S. workforce comprise disproportionately high shares of managerial positions. Nearly all (97%) of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers are white, as are 91% of construction managers and 90% of chief executives.
Overall unemployment rates came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and are for 2015. People whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
2015 Unemployment by Race and Ethnicity
| State | White | Black or African American |
Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4.3% | 10.6% | 6.5% | 6.1% |
| Alaska | 5.2% | 4.6% | 5.1% | 6.7% |
| Arizona | 5.7% | 9.1% | 8.3% | 6.0% |
| Arkansas | 4.3% | 10.3% | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| California | 6.0% | 11.0% | 7.6% | 6.2% |
| Colorado | 3.8% | 5.9% | 5.5% | 3.9% |
| Connecticut | 4.5% | 13.2% | 11.3% | 5.6% |
| Delaware | 4.3% | 8.0% | 6.0% | 5.0% |
| Florida | 4.6% | 9.0% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Georgia | 4.0% | 9.3% | 5.1% | 5.8% |
| Hawaii | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 3.7% |
| Idaho | 4.2% | . | 5.9% | 4.3% |
| Illinois | 5.0% | 12.2% | 7.2% | 5.9% |
| Indiana | 4.5% | 7.0% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Iowa | 3.2% | 14.8% | 4.5% | 3.6% |
| Kansas | 4.1% | 6.6% | 4.5% | 4.3% |
| Kentucky | 4.9% | 11.2% | 9.7% | 5.4% |
| Louisiana | 4.8% | 9.7% | 7.6% | 6.2% |
| Maine | 4.2% | 10.1% | 12.0% | 4.4% |
| Maryland | 3.6% | 8.3% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Massachusetts | 4.4% | 10.6% | 11.0% | 4.9% |
| Michigan | 4.5% | 11.6% | 8.6% | 5.4% |
| Minnesota | 2.9% | 14.1% | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| Mississippi | 4.7% | 9.4% | 5.4% | 6.5% |
| Missouri | 4.4% | 10.0% | 5.5% | 5.0% |
| Montana | 3.7% | . | 5.2% | 4.1% |
| Nebraska | 2.6% | 5.3% | 5.0% | 3.0% |
| Nevada | 6.1% | 13.5% | 8.0% | 6.9% |
| New Hampshire | 3.5% | 8.6% | 5.3% | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 5.2% | 10.0% | 7.6% | 5.8% |
| New Mexico | 5.7% | 6.5% | 6.4% | 6.8% |
| New York | 4.5% | 8.2% | 6.7% | 5.3% |
| North Carolina | 4.8% | 10.3% | 7.4% | 5.9% |
| North Dakota | 2.4% | . | . | 2.7% |
| Ohio | 4.0% | 10.9% | 5.8% | 4.9% |
| Oklahoma | 3.8% | 8.8% | 4.8% | 4.3% |
| Oregon | 5.7% | 7.4% | 6.5% | 5.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 4.5% | 10.5% | 7.7% | 5.2% |
| Rhode Island | 5.2% | 12.2% | 9.1% | 5.9% |
| South Carolina | 4.1% | 10.7% | 6.2% | 5.9% |
| South Dakota | 2.0% | . | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Tennessee | 5.1% | 7.5% | 4.0% | 5.7% |
| Texas | 4.1% | 7.5% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Utah | 3.6% | . | 6.0% | 3.6% |
| Vermont | 3.6% | . | 3.7% | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 3.6% | 7.9% | 6.0% | 4.5% |
| Washington | 5.3% | 8.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| West Virginia | 6.8% | 10.6% | 2.0% | 6.9% |
| Wisconsin | 4.1% | 11.1% | 6.7% | 4.6% |
| Wyoming | 3.9% | . | 4.8% | 4.1% |
| Note: People whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. | ||||
| Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | ||||
Cash Back Credit Cards Have Never Been This Good
Credit card companies are at war, handing out free rewards and benefits to win the best customers. A good cash back card can be worth thousands of dollars a year in free money, not to mention other perks like travel, insurance, and access to fancy lounges. See our top picks for the best credit cards today. You won’t want to miss some of these offers.
Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
