States with the strongest unemployment benefits
Key facts
- #1 Washington: $1,208 a week
- #2 Massachusetts: $1,154 a week
- #3 Minnesota: $948 a week
- 49 states ranked across the United States
- Data as of November 2026
- 1Washington $1,208 a week
- 2Massachusetts $1,154 a week
- 3Minnesota $948 a week
- 4New Jersey $905 a week
- 5Oregon $902 a week
- 6Colorado $884 a week
- 7New York $869 a week
- 8Hawaii $868 a week
- 9North Dakota $800 a week
- 10Rhode Island $777 a week
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Washington leads on $1,208 a week, and #10 Rhode Island is at $777 a week.
- Small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Unemployment insurance pays very different amounts from state to state. The maximum weekly benefit shows how much help a person with a strong earnings history can receive.
How to use it
If you are between jobs, check your own state's figure and the weeks it lasts on the state page. Most people receive less than the maximum, so use it to plan, not to promise yourself an amount.
The top 25
- 1
Washington
$1,208 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $383
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 2
Massachusetts
$1,154 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 30
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $60
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 3
Minnesota
$948 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $37
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 4
New Jersey
$905 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $186
- Waiting week
- No
- 5
Oregon
$902 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $211
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 6
Colorado
$884 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $25
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 7
New York
$869 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $140
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 8
Hawaii
$868 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $5
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 9
North Dakota
$800 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $43
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 10
Rhode Island
$777 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $82
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 11
Vermont
$751 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $96
- Waiting week
- Not confirmed
- 12
Kentucky
$746 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 16
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $39
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 13
Connecticut
$721 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $44
- Waiting week
- No
- 14
Wyoming
$671 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $48
- Waiting week
- No
- 15
Kansas
$663 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 16
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $165
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 16
West Virginia
$662 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $24
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 17
Nevada
$657 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $16
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 18
Maine
$649 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $113
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 19
Oklahoma
$649 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 16
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $16
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 20
- 21
Illinois
$628 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $51
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 22
Idaho
$624 a week
- Maximum weeks
- Not confirmed
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $72
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 23
New Mexico
$624 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $116
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 24
Ohio
$624 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $176
- Waiting week
- Yes
- 25
Texas
$619 a week
- Maximum weeks
- 26
- Minimum weekly benefit
- $76
- Waiting week
- Yes
Full ranking
All 49 states that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | State | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $1,208 a week | – |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $1,154 a week | – |
| 3 | Minnesota | $948 a week | – |
| 4 | New Jersey | $905 a week | – |
| 5 | Oregon | $902 a week | – |
| 6 | Colorado | $884 a week | – |
| 7 | New York | $869 a week | – |
| 8 | Hawaii | $868 a week | – |
| 9 | North Dakota | $800 a week | – |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $777 a week | – |
| 11 | Vermont | $751 a week | – |
| 12 | Kentucky | $746 a week | – |
| 13 | Connecticut | $721 a week | – |
| 14 | Wyoming | $671 a week | – |
| 15 | Kansas | $663 a week | – |
| 16 | West Virginia | $662 a week | – |
| 17 | Nevada | $657 a week | – |
| 18 | Maine | $649 a week | – |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $649 a week | – |
| 20 | Iowa | $644 a week | – |
| 21 | Illinois | $628 a week | – |
| 22 | Idaho | $624 a week | – |
| 23 | New Mexico | $624 a week | – |
| 24 | Ohio | $624 a week | – |
| 25 | Texas | $619 a week | – |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $605 a week | – |
| 27 | Nebraska | $582 a week | – |
| 28 | South Dakota | $575 a week | – |
| 29 | Michigan | $530 a week | – |
| 30 | Virginia | $478 a week | – |
| 31 | Arkansas | $451 a week | – |
| 32 | California | $450 a week | – |
| 33 | Delaware | $450 a week | – |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $444 a week | – |
| 35 | Maryland | $430 a week | – |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $427 a week | – |
| 37 | Indiana | $390 a week | – |
| 38 | Alaska | $370 a week | – |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $370 a week | – |
| 40 | Georgia | $365 a week | – |
| 41 | North Carolina | $350 a week | – |
| 42 | South Carolina | $350 a week | – |
| 43 | Tennessee | $325 a week | – |
| 44 | Arizona | $320 a week | – |
| 45 | Missouri | $320 a week | – |
| 46 | Louisiana | $282 a week | – |
| 47 | Alabama | $275 a week | – |
| 48 | Florida | $275 a week | – |
| 49 | Mississippi | $235 a week | – |
How this ranking works
A state's score is the maximum weekly benefit of its regular unemployment insurance program, without dependents' allowances.
Each state's own unemployment insurance agency, as checked on the date shown on the state page. A state whose figure could not be confirmed is left out. The maximum is for people with high past earnings; most people receive less.
Sample bar: states with fewer than 0 jobs are not ranked.
Sources: Each state's unemployment insurance agency (maximum weekly benefit and weeks, as verified and dated on the state page). 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 strongest unemployment benefits?
- Washington pays the highest maximum weekly unemployment benefit: $1,208 a week, before any allowance for dependents.
- How many states are ranked?
- 49 states have at least 0 states, so the list has 49 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A state's score is the maximum weekly benefit of its regular unemployment insurance program, without dependents' allowances. Each state's own unemployment insurance agency, as checked on the date shown on the state page. A state whose figure could not be confirmed is left out. The maximum is for people with high past earnings; most people receive less.
- 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 strongest unemployment benefits,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-with-the-strongest-unemployment-benefits
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/states-with-the-strongest-unemployment-benefits">States with the strongest unemployment benefits (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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