Census ACS 5-Year · 500 counties
US Counties With Lowest Unemployment
Counties with the lowest unemployment rates tend to have small populations, tight labor markets, or specialized industries that employ nearly all available workers. Many top-ranked counties are agricultural or energy-extraction regions in the Plains where job availability exceeds the local labor pool. Other low-unemployment counties anchor university towns or government employment centers. Low unemployment rates can mask underlying issues including limited workforce participation or seasonal employment patterns; they should be considered alongside median income and labor force participation for full context.
Key Findings
- 1Thomas County, KS leads with a unemployment rate of 0.1%, followed by Foster County, ND (0.1%) and Kimball County, NE (0.1%).
- 2The gap between #1 Thomas County, KS and #500 Lake County, SD (1.6%) is 1.5 percentage points.
- 3The national median across all states is 1.2% (Wilkes County, GA at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: Thomas County, KS, Foster County, ND, Kimball County, NE, Meagher County, MT, Liberty County, MT, Greeley County, KS, Hayes County, NE, Bailey County, TX, Valley County, NE, Stanley County, SD.
Full Ranking: US Counties With Lowest Unemployment
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Thomas County, KS has the highest unemployment rate at 0.1%, according to latest Census ACS data. Foster County, ND and Kimball County, NE round out the top three.
Lake County, SD has the lowest unemployment rate at 1.6%. Montgomery County, MO is second-lowest at 1.6%.
The median across all 500 states is 1.2%. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.