5 States with the Highest Unemployment Rates

2. District of Columbia

Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

In 2022, Washington, DC, had a huge disparity in unemployment rates between Black and white residents. While the overall unemployment rate for the DC region was 2.5% in June, the Black unemployment rate in the District was 9.6%, whereas the white unemployment rate was only 1.4%, making it seven times higher. This racial disparity in unemployment rates, which is the worst in the nation, highlights structural issues within the labor market, leading to prolonged unemployment for Black residents.