This year has been brutal for millions of Americans. In addition to the life-threatening dangers of COVID-19, there's the economic damage that the virus has left in its wake. The pandemic has caused a huge portion of the country to be out of work, unsure how to make ends meet. In late May, almost 40 million Americans had claimed unemployment benefits. And according to a September survey from the Pew Research Center, half of Americans who lost their job during the pandemic have yet to find another one. But while COVID itself doesn’t discriminate based on geography, the experience of being out of work does vary significantly from one state to another. And there is one state that's definitively the worst when it comes to unemployment. Read on to find out which one, and for the states you should be considering, check out The State Where You Can Make the Most Money.
To help figure out which states are the least kind to those out of work, we crunched the numbers to determine an Out of Work Index score for every state in the union. We factored in the unemployment rate for each state as of August 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which not only reflects how hard hit a particular state is, but how much more competitive that makes the job market for those already out of work. The Out of Work Index also includes the maximum weekly unemployment benefits and maximum weeks of unemployment benefits each state provides (not including the extensions and additions provided by the CARES Act). We also looked at the cost of living in each state, based on the latest numbers from World Population Review, which takes into account the variable costs of utilities, housing, and transportation from one state to another. This Cost of Living Index provides the percentage difference in the cost of living between each state versus the U.S. average, which is represented by 100.
Together, the numbers point to one state where it’s particularly difficult to be unemployed. This state has a high unemployment rate and its unemployment benefits are so stingy that it moved to the front of the pack compared to the rest of the county. According to the numbers, these are the 20 toughest states to be without a job right now, counting down to the absolute worst. And for more on how your money translates differently in each state, check out This Is the State Where Your Money Is Worth the Least.
20 | West Virginia
iStockUnemployment Rate: 8.9
Cost of Living Index: 91.1
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $424
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 63.58
And for better news for West Virginia, find it among The Only States Beating COVID Right Now
19 | Arkansas
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 7.4
Cost of Living Index: 86.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $451
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 20
Out of Work Index: 64.00
18 | Hawaii
ShuttestockUnemployment Rate: 12.5
Cost of Living Index: 192.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $648
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 67.23
And if you want to know more about the Aloha State, check out What People Living in Hawaii Wish You Knew.
17 | Delaware
iStockUnemployment Rate: 8.9
Cost of Living Index: 108.1
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $400
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 68.03
16 | Alabama
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 5.6
Cost of Living Index: 89.3
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $275
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 70.69
Sadly, the bad news continues for Alabama; it's one of the States That Now Have the Worst COVID Outbreaks in the U.S.
15 | Kansas
iStockUnemployment Rate: 6.9
Cost of Living Index: 89
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $488
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 16
Out of Work Index: 70.83
14 | Alaska
iStockUnemployment Rate: 7.4
Cost of Living Index: 129.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $370
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 72.85
Want to know another factor that makes Alaskan life hard? Check out The Most Dangerous State in the U.S.
13 | New York
iStockUnemployment Rate: 12.5
Cost of Living Index: 139.1
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $504
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 76.67
12 | Arizona
iStockUnemployment Rate: 5.7
Cost of Living Index: 97
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $240
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 77.34
And for more up-to-date information on COVID, states' standings, and more, sign up for our daily newsletter.
11 | South Carolina
iStockUnemployment Rate: 6.3
Cost of Living Index: 95.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $326
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 20
Out of Work Index: 79.17
10 | Nevada
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 13.2
Cost of Living Index: 108.5
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $469
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 79.74
9 | Georgia
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 5.6
Cost of Living Index: 89.2
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $365
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 14
Out of Work Index: 82.34
8 | California
iStockUnemployment Rate: 11.4
Cost of Living Index: 151.7
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $450
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 83.27
7 | Tennessee
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 8.5
Cost of Living Index: 88.7
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $275
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 84.53
6 | Michigan
iStockUnemployment Rate: 8.7
Cost of Living Index: 88.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $362
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 20
Out of Work Index: 85.13
5 | Louisiana
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 7.6
Cost of Living Index: 93.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $247
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 85.62
4 | Mississippi
iStockUnemployment Rate: 7.9
Cost of Living Index: 86.1
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $235
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 26
Out of Work Index: 85.66
3 | North Carolina
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 6.5
Cost of Living Index: 94.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $350
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 12
Out of Work Index: 93.61
2 | Missouri
ShutterstockUnemployment Rate: 7
Cost of Living Index: 87.1
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $320
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 13
Out of Work Index: 95.20
1 | Florida
iStockUnemployment Rate: 7.4
Cost of Living Index: 97.9
Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits: $275
Maximum Number of Weeks for Unemployment Benefits: 12
Out of Work Index: 105.65
