by Calculated Risk on 1/18/2019 11:49:00 AM

From the BLS: Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary

Unemployment rates were higher in December in 4 states, lower in 3 states, and stable in 43 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Fourteen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier and 36 states and the District had little or no change.
...
Iowa had the lowest unemployment rate in December, 2.4 percent. Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.3 percent.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows the number of states (and D.C.) with unemployment rates at or above certain levels since January 1976.

At the worst of the great recession, there were 11 states with an unemployment rate at or above 11% (red).

Currently only one state, Alaska, has an unemployment rate at or above 6% (dark blue).  Only two states and the D.C. have unemployment rates above 5%; Alaska, West Virginia.

A total of seven states are at the series low.