by Calculated Risk on 4/19/2019 10:11:00 AM

From the BLS: Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary

Unemployment rates were lower in March in 6 states, higher in 3 states, and stable in 41 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
...
North Dakota and Vermont had the lowest unemployment rates in March, 2.3 percent each. The rates in these two states, as well as those in Kentucky (4.0 percent) and Pennsylvania (3.9 percent), set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.5 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).  Note that the series low for Alaska is above 6%.  Four states and the D.C. have unemployment rates above 5%; Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico and West Virginia.

A total of nine states are at the series low.