States with the most job centers per unemployed person

Key facts
- #1 Wyoming: 229.1 per 100,000
- #2 Vermont: 139.0 per 100,000
- #3 South Dakota: 124.7 per 100,000
- 51 states ranked across the United States
- Data as of November 2026
- 1Wyoming 229.1 per 100,000
- 2Vermont 139.0 per 100,000
- 3South Dakota 124.7 per 100,000
- 4Montana 120.2 per 100,000
- 5North Dakota 115.4 per 100,000
- 6Alaska 98.2 per 100,000
- 7New Hampshire 80.0 per 100,000
- 8Kentucky 75.7 per 100,000
- 9Louisiana 70.4 per 100,000
- 10Mississippi 69.2 per 100,000
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Wyoming (229.1 per 100,000) is well clear of Mississippi at #10 (69.2 per 100,000).
- Small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
American Job Centers are the public places to get help with a search, training and benefits. The number per unemployed person shows where help is closest to the people who need it.
How to use it
Find your nearest center on your state or county page. A state with few centers per person may have more help online or by phone.
The top 25
- 1
Wyoming
229.1 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 18
- People unemployed
- 7,857
- Programs in catalog
- 13
- 2
Vermont
139.0 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 12
- People unemployed
- 8,631
- Programs in catalog
- 28
- 3
South Dakota
124.7 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 10
- People unemployed
- 8,021
- Programs in catalog
- 11
- 4
Montana
120.2 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 17
- People unemployed
- 14,139
- Programs in catalog
- 13
- 5
North Dakota
115.4 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 9
- People unemployed
- 7,799
- Programs in catalog
- 21
- 6
Alaska
98.2 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 14
- People unemployed
- 14,257
- Programs in catalog
- 15
- 7
New Hampshire
80.0 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 12
- People unemployed
- 15,006
- Programs in catalog
- 12
- 8
Kentucky
75.7 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 73
- People unemployed
- 96,401
- Programs in catalog
- 37
- 9
Louisiana
70.4 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 56
- People unemployed
- 79,569
- Programs in catalog
- 20
- 10
Mississippi
69.2 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 29
- People unemployed
- 41,878
- Programs in catalog
- 14
- 11
West Virginia
67.0 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 18
- People unemployed
- 26,877
- Programs in catalog
- 13
- 12
Tennessee
56.5 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 65
- People unemployed
- 115,141
- Programs in catalog
- 9
- 13
Indiana
55.5 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 71
- People unemployed
- 127,820
- Programs in catalog
- 30
- 14
New Mexico
54.0 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 25
- People unemployed
- 46,255
- Programs in catalog
- 21
- 15
North Carolina
52.7 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 87
- People unemployed
- 164,945
- Programs in catalog
- 15
- 16
Utah
51.3 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 30
- People unemployed
- 58,488
- Programs in catalog
- 18
- 17
Maine
50.5 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 11
- People unemployed
- 21,777
- Programs in catalog
- 27
- 18
Alabama
50.4 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 44
- People unemployed
- 87,275
- Programs in catalog
- 21
- 19
Ohio
44.9 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 86
- People unemployed
- 191,340
- Programs in catalog
- 13
- 20
Oklahoma
41.2 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 32
- People unemployed
- 77,705
- Programs in catalog
- 19
- 21
Oregon
40.1 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 38
- People unemployed
- 94,837
- Programs in catalog
- 23
- 22
Nebraska
40.0 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 11
- People unemployed
- 27,525
- Programs in catalog
- 16
- 23
South Carolina
39.3 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 39
- People unemployed
- 99,306
- Programs in catalog
- 25
- 24
Kansas
39.1 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 23
- People unemployed
- 58,782
- Programs in catalog
- 24
- 25
Arkansas
39.0 per 100,000
- American Job Centers
- 21
- People unemployed
- 53,846
- Programs in catalog
- 22
Full ranking
All 51 states that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | State | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 229.1 per 100,000 | – |
| 2 | Vermont | 139.0 per 100,000 | – |
| 3 | South Dakota | 124.7 per 100,000 | – |
| 4 | Montana | 120.2 per 100,000 | – |
| 5 | North Dakota | 115.4 per 100,000 | – |
| 6 | Alaska | 98.2 per 100,000 | – |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 80.0 per 100,000 | – |
| 8 | Kentucky | 75.7 per 100,000 | – |
| 9 | Louisiana | 70.4 per 100,000 | – |
| 10 | Mississippi | 69.2 per 100,000 | – |
| 11 | West Virginia | 67.0 per 100,000 | – |
| 12 | Tennessee | 56.5 per 100,000 | – |
| 13 | Indiana | 55.5 per 100,000 | – |
| 14 | New Mexico | 54.0 per 100,000 | – |
| 15 | North Carolina | 52.7 per 100,000 | – |
| 16 | Utah | 51.3 per 100,000 | – |
| 17 | Maine | 50.5 per 100,000 | – |
| 18 | Alabama | 50.4 per 100,000 | – |
| 19 | Ohio | 44.9 per 100,000 | – |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 41.2 per 100,000 | – |
| 21 | Oregon | 40.1 per 100,000 | – |
| 22 | Nebraska | 40.0 per 100,000 | – |
| 23 | South Carolina | 39.3 per 100,000 | – |
| 24 | Kansas | 39.1 per 100,000 | – |
| 25 | Arkansas | 39.0 per 100,000 | – |
| 26 | Minnesota | 38.7 per 100,000 | – |
| 27 | Wisconsin | 37.5 per 100,000 | – |
| 28 | Michigan | 37.5 per 100,000 | – |
| 29 | Missouri | 35.6 per 100,000 | – |
| 30 | Iowa | 32.6 per 100,000 | – |
| 31 | Colorado | 31.4 per 100,000 | – |
| 32 | Virginia | 30.8 per 100,000 | – |
| 33 | Illinois | 30.3 per 100,000 | – |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | 30.1 per 100,000 | – |
| 35 | Arizona | 27.8 per 100,000 | – |
| 36 | Maryland | 26.5 per 100,000 | – |
| 37 | Texas | 24.8 per 100,000 | – |
| 38 | Idaho | 24.6 per 100,000 | – |
| 39 | Hawaii | 22.2 per 100,000 | – |
| 40 | Washington | 22.2 per 100,000 | – |
| 41 | Florida | 20.8 per 100,000 | – |
| 42 | New York | 19.4 per 100,000 | – |
| 43 | Georgia | 19.3 per 100,000 | – |
| 44 | California | 18.4 per 100,000 | – |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 17.6 per 100,000 | – |
| 46 | Delaware | 17.4 per 100,000 | – |
| 47 | Connecticut | 16.6 per 100,000 | – |
| 48 | Nevada | 16.0 per 100,000 | – |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 14.9 per 100,000 | – |
| 50 | New Jersey | 12.9 per 100,000 | – |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 9.4 per 100,000 | – |
How this ranking works
A state's score is its American Job Centers (CareerOneStop directory) for every 100,000 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
The figure counts places to get help, not how much help each offers or how long the queue is.
Sample bar: states with fewer than 0 jobs are not ranked.
Sources: CareerOneStop American Job Center directory; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (not seasonally adjusted). Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which state ranks first: states with the most job centers per unemployed person?
- Wyoming has the most American Job Centers for the number of people unemployed: 229.1 per 100,000 unemployed people.
- How many states are ranked?
- 51 states have at least 0 states, so the list has 51 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A state's score is its American Job Centers (CareerOneStop directory) for every 100,000 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted). The figure counts places to get help, not how much help each offers or how long the queue is.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “States with the most job centers per unemployed person,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-with-the-most-job-centers-per-unemployed-person
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-with-the-most-job-centers-per-unemployed-person">States with the most job centers per unemployed person (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
The job market, once a week
One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.
Applying and hearing nothing back?
Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.
Already a member? Log in
Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?
Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.