Tracking the full measure of unemployment, state-by-state

Tracking the full measure of unemployment, state-by-state
File/Getty/Justin Sullivan
Tracking the full measure of unemployment, state-by-state
File/Getty/Justin Sullivan

Tracking the full measure of unemployment, state-by-state

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

There are more than 25 million Americans who are either unemployed or can’t find full-time work.

Nationwide, the broader unemployment rate, which tracks this group, is 16.2 percent. But the rate varies widely from state to state, according to the latest numbers from the BLS. In Illinois it stands at 16.8 percent, which places the state 39th out of 50.

Nevada, which is still digging out from the housing bust, had the highest broader unemployment rate at 23.3 percent. California (21.8 percent) and Michigan (19.6 percent) had the second and third highest rates.

North Dakota, with its recent oil boom, had the lowest rate with 7.2 percent. Other states in the mid-west, South Dakota and Nebraska, also had relatively low rates of broader unemployment. To see our interactive map comparing rates in each state click here

For more:

See our recent maps of state-by-state economic growth and unemployment rates.

Copyright 2011 National Public Radio.